09 Jun 14. The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Northrop Grumman Corporation completed multiple sessions of a missile defense wargame for the second annual Ronald Reagan Missile Defense Forum recently concluded at Fort Belvoir. Wargames are often used to demonstrate future ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) capabilities to the warfighting communities, allowing them to develop concepts of operations and tactics in advance of MDA’s future capability delivery. Forum participants engaged in a wargame that used a simulated 2020 scenario representing a future BMDS architecture in European theater. Through 16 sessions, participants were provided an opportunity to experience the complexities of the missile defense mission. Northrop Grumman developed the wargame under the MDA’s Joint National Integration Center Research and Development Contract (JRDC) with direction from the MDA Branch Chief of Wargames and Experiments. The company drew from its wealth of JRDC experience integrating BMDS elements to affordably complete the wargame under a compressed schedule, reducing the cost by approximately 50 percent and the project timeline by 40 percent as compared to a standard wargame. The wargame threats were coordinated with the JRDC Threat Modeling Center for accuracy. As the prime contractor of the JRDC, Northrop Grumman leads a world-class team to conduct BMDS-level modelling and simulation, ground and flight tests, wargames, exercises, analysis and operations in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Huntsville, Alabama; and other locations.
08 Jun 14. Diehl Defence offer GILA guided rocket for Tiger helicopters. Diehl Defence has presented its GILA (Guided Intelligent Light Armament) 70 mm calibre guided rocket for the first time at the ILA 2014 exhibition in Berlin, held in late May. Based on the ATK/Elbit GATR (Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket), the system is being offered for use on Tiger combat support helicopters as a weapon able to fill the gap between the high-performance but expensive PARS 3LR air-to-ground missile and unguided rockets. The GILA rocket is 1.8 m long, and weighs 14.9 kg. It is made up of a solid-propellant rocket motor with six large tail fins, a multi-function warhead section, and front guidance section. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
12 Jun 14. Estonia to buy Javelin ATGWs. Estonia is looking to buy Javelin ATGWs from the United States. Estonia is seeking to purchase Javelin anti-tank guided weapons (ATGWs) from the United States, a spokesperson for the Estonian MoD confirmed to IHS Jane’s on 10 June. Modernising and reinforcing Estonia’s anti-tank capabilities forms part of the country’s national development plan for 2013-22, with the Estonian Cabinet deciding on 6 June to authorise the Estonian MoD to begin negotiations with the United States to purchase the missiles. A spokesperson for the MoD told IHS Jane’s the country is seeking to purchase “Javelin anti-tank missile systems from US stocks as surplus military equipment. The procurement is going to be made through the Foreign Military Sales programme as a government-to-government sales agreement.” The country is planning to buy 80 Javelin ATGWs, and hopes to sign a contract with the United States for the missiles before the end of 2014 – although noted that talks are only in an early phase at the moment. With negotiations only just beginning, the MoD was unwilling to discuss the country’s budget for the purchase due to commercial sensitivities. In Estonian service the Javelins will replace the country’s existing stocks of MBDA Milan ATGWs, which will then be kept in reserve. “The systems are to be used at the Defence Forces infantry battalion level, as well as in the Defence League’s territorial defence units,” the MoD spokesperson added. Estonia has previously been suggested as a Javelin export customer, with the Israeli Spike missile also considered a contender for the country’s ATGW requirement. However, the spokesperson confirmed that Javelin was currently t