Missile Defense

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who has promised major reforms and bold investments, recently said he will soon order U.S. troops be moved from locations of "low-intensity conflict" to areas of "great power competition" in line with the National Defense Strategy, which calls for pivoting away from the Middle East and toward China and Russia.

As momentum builds in Congress and within the Pentagon for declassifying information about threats in space and the Air Force's attempt to defend against them, the Space and Missile Systems Center is taking steps to share more information with industry about how it can contribute to that work.

The Pentagon is beginning a new weapon system project to defeat hypersonic glide vehicles, briefing industry next week on what is likely a decades-long project to expand the reach of the Ballistic Missile Defense System to counter these ultra-fast, maneuvering menaces that exploit current seams in U.S. defenses.

The compromise fiscal year 2020 defense policy bill allows the Defense Department to continue developing and testing conventional, ground-launched missiles with ranges in excess of limits set by a now-abandoned treaty, while lawmakers want more information on DOD's plans for the weapons before approving their procurement and deployment.

The defense authorization bill that House and Senate conference members released Monday night requires the Air Force to identify risks and costs if the service receives only one proposal to develop the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent.

The Air Force is finishing up an acquisition plan for a new beyond-line-of-sight receiver that allows aerial and ground-based nuclear platforms to accept "emergency action messages" from the president.

SANTA MONICA, CA -- The Air Force has readied a plan for immediate formation of a new Space Force in anticipation of direction from Congress, identifying the bulk of the forces, units and missions to be transitioned to the new U.S. military branch in fiscal year 2021 along with "a large pot of money," according to a senior service official.

High-priority Missile Defense Agency projects slated for fiscal year 2020 are at risk of being hamstrung beginning this month if Congress and the White House do not agree to a spending bill, with a Standard Missile-3 Block IB multiyear procurement deal, launch of the Next Generation Interceptor program and more at risk in the event of a yearlong continuing resolution.

Lawmakers negotiating the fiscal year 2020 defense authorization bill have decided it would be best for congressional appropriators to address President Trump's use of Pentagon funds to construct a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border without the consent of Congress, though the authorization bill remains stalled over other issues.