BMD Watch: Japan buys another Aegis system

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin said Tuesday it has won a $33 million contract to build an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system for the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force destroyer JDS Chokai.

"JDS Chokai is the second of four Japanese destroyers to be outfitted with the Aegis BMD Weapon System. Aegis BMD is currently being installed on JDS Kongo, which is scheduled to return to sea and conduct its first BMD missile firing in late 2007," Lockheed Martin said in a statement.

Aegis is widely regarded as the world's leading naval air defense system. It is also the basis for Aegis BMD, which has recorded nine successful ballistic missile range interceptions in 11 tests.

"This is a significant order that will provide work for Moorestown employees through 2009," said U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton, R-N.J., who worked with Department of Defense and Japanese officials on the issue. "Japan is a close ally, and its decision to buy Aegis technology shows a continuing confidence and commitment to Kongo-class destroyers outfitted with American-built products. I'm especially pleased this purchase is an export of U.S. goods and services, and will reduce the trade deficit."

"The Aegis BMD Weapon System seamlessly integrates the SPY-1 radar, the MK 41 Vertical Launching System, the SM-3 missile and the Aegis Weapon System's command and control system. The Aegis BMD Weapon System also integrates with the Missile Defense Agency's BMDS, receiving cues from and providing cueing information to other BMDS elements," Lockheed Martin said.

The company noted that the Aegis Weapon System "is currently deployed on 83 ships around the globe with more than 20 additional ships planned or under contract. In addition to the United States and Japan, Aegis is the maritime weapon system of choice for Spain, Norway, South Korea and Australia."

Russia tests new SLBM

Russia announced Tuesday it had successfully fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile from the Pacific Ocean several thousand miles to a target in the Arctic Ocean, RIA Novosti reported.

RIA Novosti cited a Russian navy spokesman as saying the missile was fired from the Delta III class submarine Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy across the Russia Federation and that it successfully struck its designated target at testing grounds on an island in the Barents Sea off the coast of northern Russia.

"The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy is one of the four Russian nuclear submarines of Delta III class in Russia's Pacific Fleet. Each submarine is armed with 16 SS-N-18 Stingray missiles," RIA Novosti said.

Russia went through a period of successive failures in testing its new Bulava SLBM, which is meant to be the main strategic weapon on its new class of Borei-955 nuclear submarines. But the Bulava was successfully tested two months ago before Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush met at Kennebunkport, Maine.

MDA buys Learn.com package

Learn.com announced this week that the U.S. Missile Defense Agency was adopting its platform to offer career development training for its work force.

"The Missile Defense Agency develops tests and prepares for deployment of the United States' missile defense system. Using complementary interceptors, land-, sea- air- and space-based sensors and battle management command and control systems, the planned missile defense system will be able to engage all classes and ranges of ballistic missile threats. The agency's programmatic strategy is to develop, rigorously test and continuously evaluate production, deployment and operational alternatives for the ballistic missile defense system to provide emerging warfighting capability," Learn.com said.

"The LearnCenter platform will provide the Missile Defense Agency with an automated and centralized training repository to allow access to specialized compliance training on a 24/7 basis," the company said.

"Agency employees will also have access to personal development plans, collaboration tools and more from one central location. Additionally, the LearnCenter platform will develop and deliver critical information and training to the workforce, update information, and provide learning plans and assessments on-demand. This empowerment equates to quicker implementations, achieving faster ROI and an overall lower cost of ownership."