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Thursday
30 April 2009
White Sands Missile Range Commander Moves to Fort Bliss
 Although Brigadier General David L. Mann just assumed command of WSMR in Oct 2008, Army officials announced Wednesday that Mann will assume command of the 32nd Army Air and Missile Command at Fort Bliss, Texas, in August 2009.

Air and Missile Defense Command Established
Navy Air and Missile Defense Command (NAMDC) was established April 30 in a ceremony at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, Virginia.

Gates: Persuasion Better Tack Against Iran's Nuclear Pursuits
Gates said Thursday that a military strike on Iran's nuclear program would not stop that country from pursuing the development of a nuclear weapon.

Woman Gets Prison for Fatal Hit-and-Run of Fort Bliss Soldier
A Northeast El Paso woman accused of killing a Fort Bliss Soldier has been found guilty and sentenced to prison.

Wednesday
29 April 2009

General Officer Assignments  No. 283-09
 Brigadier General David L. Mann, Commanding General, White Sands Missile Range, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, to commanding general, 32d Army Air Missile Defense Command, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Friends Gather, Remember Young Man Gunned Down At Fort Bliss
Over 100 students and friends gathered Saturday night to remember the young man that was shot and killed Friday morning on Fort Bliss.

Soldier Charged With Murder in Student's Death
A U.S. Army soldier has been charged with murder in the shooting death of an El Paso high school student.

Keeping the Nuclear Balance Balanced
As part of this modernization, The U.S. started building a limited missile defense system.

Procurement: The Persian Gulf Arms Race
To defend the UAE from potential Iranian aggression, they are spending $7 billion on the American Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile systems to protect itself against the growing arsenal of Iranian ballistic missiles.

Kyrgyzstan Denies Talks With U.S. on Air Base
The Pentagon said on Tuesday they had made progress in trying to persuade Kyrgyzstan not to close the Manas Air Base which supports military operations in Afghanistan.

Raytheon Names Roketsan Key Supplier For Patriot Missile Assembly
Roketsan joins Raytheon as a key strategic partner providing integrated air and missile defense to a growing number of international customers.

US Plans Missile Defense Training Improvements
The US Defense Department yesterday announced a new initiative aimed at producing missile defense exercises that are more realistic

Japan Deploys PAC-3 Missile Battery
Yesterday, Japan fielded a Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missile defense firing unit at its Aibano Air Force Base in Takashima.

Boeing Arrow Shoots Down Second Missile Target
Boeing announced that its portion of the Arrow II anti-ballistic interceptor its building with Israel Aerospace Industries destroyed a target ballistic missile on April 7 in a test conducted in Israel.

Tuesday
28 April 2009
Plan to Cut Weapons Programs Disputed
Some of the largest defense contractors, labor unions and trade groups are banding together to argue that the new administration is putting 100,000 or more jobs at risk by proposing deep cuts in weapons programs.

Fort Bliss to Get Millions in Stimulus Money
The Department of Defense has awarded over $107 million in grants to Fort Bliss from the economic stimulus bill passed by Congress earlier this year.

Kim Jong Il's Son Elevated to Defense Post
The reclusive, nuclear-armed communist nation's next leader has been the focus of intense media speculation since Kim, 67, reportedly suffered a stroke last summer.

Yes, It Is Rocket Science!
Lieutenant General Patrick O Reilly, director of the Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency stated that the failure was either in the third stage or the malfunction occurred between the third stage and the payload.
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Gates to Host Top Japanese Defense Official
Defense chiefs, Hamada and Gates are expected to discuss the proposal for a major overhaul of the U.S. military, its realignment of forces in Japan and maintaining ballistic missile shields in light of North Korea’s recent rocket launch.

All Things Missile
A group of U.S. military organizations are teaming up to develop improved, better-integrated missile defense training.

Russia: Turkey Seeks To Buy Air Defense System
NATO member Turkey wants to acquire Russia's new-generation S-400 Triumph (NATO codename SA-21 Growler) air defense missile systems.

North Korean Missile Threat Debated
The recent rocket launch has fueled calls to maintain funding levels for various U.S. missile defense programs.

Monday
27 April 2009

100 Days of Good, Bad and Ugly
Dumbing Down Missile Defense, Appeasing North Korea and Iran, Changes on Cuba, Gutting the Defense Budget and "Cold War" Weapons.

Barak Bids for U.S .Vulcan Phalanx Anti-Qassam Missile After Israeli Iron Dome Falters
Defense minister Ehud Barak, finally accepting that the Iron Dome will not be up to the task, applied to Washington to purchase Vulcan Phalanx systems worth $25 million each.

The Rocket Science of Missile Threats
North Korea has successfully tested a long-range ballistic missile, this success coupled with the North Korean nuclear weapons makes North Korea a nuclear threat.

Russia: Turkey Seeks To Buy Air Defense System
NATO member Turkey wants to acquire Russia's new-generation S-400 Triumph (NATO codename SA-21 Growler) air defense missile

systems.

Studying Ground-Based SM-3 Missile System
The current missile system offers a two-part defense--the Aegis destroyer-based SM-3missile system and the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 system.

U.S. Ignores Threat of EMP Attack
A short-range ballistic missile could conceivably sail undetected within range of U.S. territory.

1 Killed, 1 Wounded After Shooting At Fort Bliss
Authorities say one high school student is dead and another person has been wounded after a shooting at a military complex on the Fort Bliss installation.

Friday
24 April 2009
Russia: N. Korea Not Prepared to Resume Nuclear Talks
A Russian diplomat warned that no country should use North Korea's recent rocket launch to justify an arms race or building up missile defenses in the region.
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Homeland Security Replaces Veterans Report Agency Head
The head of the Homeland Security agency responsible for a controversial report that suggested veterans were being recruited to commit terrorist acts in the U.S. is being replaced by a former FBI and CIA official.

Soldier Accused In Deadly Fort Bliss Shooting
A Soldier is in custody in connection with a fatal shooting inside a military housing complex.

Thursday
23 April 2009
Raytheon 2009 Profit to Exceed Forecast
Raytheon's first-quarter profit rose 14 percent on increased sales from air-and-missile-defense systems and training programs.

Missile Defense Essential, But Not Cheap or Easy

BMD received some heavy blows, including Defense Secretary Gates' decision to put a freeze on 33 long-range Ground-Based Midcourse Interceptors.

First 100 Days of Obama's National Security

Overall, Obama's first 100 days of managing the nation's National Security have left both supporters and critics wanting to see more.

 

U.S. Should Back Kinetic Energy Interceptor
The KEI has the advantage of being the first missile-defense system to have been designed from the start free of the constraints imposed by the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Wednesday
22 April 2009
Boost-Phase Systems Can Boost U.S. Missile Defense

A mobile boost-phase missile-defense capability would provide the White House with additional options in dealing with ballistic missile proliferation.

Russia Says, U.S. Not Slowing on Missile Defense
A senior Russian official said yesterday he saw no signs that the United States was rethinking plans for missile defense installations in Europe.

Navy's New Air and Missile Defense Command
The U.S. Navy will establish the newest warfare center of excellence during a ceremony commissioning the Navy Air and Missile Defense Command.

Defense Budget - 'From Supremacy to Adequacy'
Iran launched a satellite on the 30th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, demonstrating the key technologies of propulsion, staging and guidance to deliver a weapon of mass destruction globally. Two weeks ago, North Korea furthered their missile and nuclear development by launching a Taepodong-2 missile into the South China Sea, despite widespread international condemnation.

Tuesday
21 April 2009
Army Delivers $27M for U.S. Missile Defense Work
Raytheon Co. awarded additional contract for engineering work on the Patriot missile defense system.

Boost-Phase Missile Defense Essential to Defend America
Any ballistic missile defense system deployed by the United States needs to be multilayered to have any real hope of effective operation.

Israel Negotiating Purchase of US Missile Defense System
Israel hopes to buy a U.S. missile defense system to protect Israeli towns from short-range rockets and mortar fire.

Lockheed Martin Reports Smaller Quarterly Profit
The Pentagon is requesting increased funding for Lockheed's THAAD missile defense launchers.

Kucinich: Victory Against Privatization
DFAS takes away contract from Lockheed Martin, government to perform services.

Monday
20 April 2009
General Assignments Announced
Command of the Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill at Fort Sill, Oklahoma will change hands from Major General Vangjel to Major General Halverson.

House Armed Services Subcommittee on The Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Hearing
Missile defense has been caricatured as "a weapon that doesn't work aimed at a threat that doesn't exist." President Obama has asserted that he will take an "evidence - based" approach to missile defense.

Crafting New Missile Defense Strategy
The United States needs a new strategy for missile defenses, one that reflects the changing international environment and military requirements.

Friday
17 April 2009
Soldiers Enjoy Rare Chance to Blow Stuff Up
5-5 ADA locks onto the heat signature, pushes a button and seconds later, the computer screen flashes white.

Lockheed Martin Rolls Out New THAAD System
Official roll out of key Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system is marked by a ceremony on 13 April 2009.

Obama's Missile Defense Conundrum
What would you do if an enemy tested a weapon that could kill millions of your fellow citizens?

DHS Right-Wing Report Issued Despite Concerns
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Thursday dismissed criticism of an intelligence assessment by her agency.

Gates Hints At Changes To Ban On Gays In Military
During President Obama's campaign, he promised to end the ban on gays in the military, and the White House said recently that it was reviewing the issue.

Moscow Urges NATO to Cancel Georgia Exercises
Russia sends official notification to NATO proposing that upcoming military exercises planned in Georgia be postponed or cancelled.

Thursday
16 April 2009
On Foreign Policy: Obama Shifts a Bit
Is the Obama administration less committed than Bush's was to build a missile defense system in Eastern Europe?

Russia Waits for Concrete US Missile Defense Proposal
Moscow is still waiting for a concrete proposal from the United States to address its concerns about plans to deploy missile defenses in Europe.

Peres Dismisses Talk of Israeli Attack on Iran
Israeli President Shimon Peres rejected speculation that his country might attack to deny Iran the means of making nuclear weapons.

General Officer Assignments
Brigadier General. Keith C. Walker, will be the Director of the Future Force Integration Directorate, Army Capabilities Integration Center, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Military Training On Extremists Preying on Service Members Soldiers are prohibited from active participation in organizations which promote supremacist causes, attempt to create illegal discrimination based on race, creed, color, gender, religion, sex or national origin, advocate the use of force or violence, or otherwise attempt to deprive individuals of their civil rights.

Air Defense: Arrow Losing Its Rich Uncle
The US wants to withdraw its support for development of the Israeli Arrow anti-ballistic missile system.

Wednesday
15 April 2009
Toward a Combined US/Israeli Missile Shield
The fifth “Juniper Cobra” exercise is likely to be the most complex yet and will for the first time include the launch of interceptors.

Obama Hits Right Buttons

It was hard to miss President Obama's message during his European tour, from now on the U.S. is going to listen, not scold; reconcile, not repudiate; assemble, not divide.

Huntsville Congressman Travels to Israel and Egypt to Talk Missile Defense
North Alabama's congressman spent nearly a week in Israel and Egypt, talking missile defense to Middle Eastern leaders.

Team Delivers Recommendations on Fires CoE Integration
Boeing and Creative Technologies Inc., provided the Army a proposed road map to integrate the new Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

India Test Fires Short-Range Missile
India successfully tested a new version of its short-range Prithvi-II ballistic missile Wednesday

A Message for North Korea
The 15-member United National Security Council has unanimously adopted a presidential statement condemning the 5 April 2009 rocket launch by North Korea.

Best Radar Not Used to Track N. Korean Missile

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates denied permission for the U.S. Northern Command to use sea-based radar to monitor North Korea's recent missile launch.

Tuesday
14 April 2009
General Casey Announces New General Posts
Brigadier General Roger F. Mathews, will be Commandant of the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Center at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

U.S. and Israel Plan Major Missile Defense Exercise
The United States and Israel will conduct their most complex military exercise (Juniper Cobra) ever, jointly testing three ballistic missile defense systems.

25th National Space Symposium
“We are going to have to learn to operate in a degraded environment,” said LTG Kevin T. Campbell, Commanding General, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/ Army Forces Strategic Command and Commander of Joint Functional Component Command-Integrated Missile Defense of U.S. Strategic Command.

No Time to Back Down on Missile Defense
We must also continue to develop and deploy the tools and equipment and technologies that will allow America’s fighting men and women to have every advantage on the battlefield.

Obama’s Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish Defense Budget
Since his historic, April 6, 2009, announcement, the question is, does Gates’ short-term savings plan short-change future readiness.

Cornyn: Missile Defense Spending Needed

"While trillions of dollars in domestic spending are justified as economic stimulus, new defenses against ballistic missiles -- built right here in America -- must overcome much higher hurdles from the budgetary bean counters," he said.

Monday
13 April 2009
21st Century Threats: Unproven Technology Lays Basis for Missile Defense
Ballistic missiles in the hands of rogue states, potentially armed with weapons of mass destruction, remain one of the most serious security threats of the 21st century.

Russia Plans Strong, Younger Missile Arsenal
Russia over the next seven years plans to convert its strategic missile arsenal into a smaller force that would be largely comprised of new weapons.

Friday
10 April 2009
N. Korea Launch Shows Missile Defense Need
North Korea's rocket launch demonstrates the need for investment in missile defense systems, Sen. John McCain said Friday.

2nd & 3rd Stages of N. Korea Rocket Separated
The third stage of North Korea’s three-stage rocket apparently separated from the second stage in the course of falling into the Pacific.

The Koreas: A Tale of Two Triangles
Facing the North Korean challenge, South Korea has to tread carefully between the US and China.

Thursday
9 April 2009
Fort Bliss Housing Meets Cost Snag
Army needs to change its local housing survey, which determines the allowance.

Jan Fischer Appointed Czech Interim Prime Minister
Czech political reshuffling could bring complications to the ratification of the Lisbon treaty and a planned U.S. anti-missile radar base in the country.

Taking Aim at Israel's Arrow-3 Missile
Israel's Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile may be one of the first victims of President Obama's defense spending cuts.

Japan Seeks North Korean Debris; McCain Wants Pressure
Japan wants to press ahead with a search for debris from North Korea's rocket launch.

Korean Lessons
The lesson of North Korea's rogue launch is that America needs more missile defense not less.

Wednesday
8 April 2009
Contracting Boom Could Fizzle Out
The recent surge in defense-contracting workforce would begin to ebb under the latest budget proposal.

A Wide Assault On Pay-For-Performance
Last month, the Pentagon announced that it would halt conversion of additional workers into NSPS pending a top-to-bottom review of the program.

A Military That Packs Less Wallop
The Airborne Laser, The cheapest element of military's layered missile defense system, the Airborne Laser, has essentially been terminated, ending "the military's first operational foray into directed energy.

Huntsville Contractors Respond to Gates' 2010 Defense Budget
Kinetic energy interceptors is a new technology that approaches strategic missile defense by attacking the threat while it is boosting and ascending that could prove invaluable in warfare. 

The Best Defense
The long-awaited fiscal 2010 budget request,  halts the increase of ground-based missile defense programs in favor of more limited missile defense approaches.

North Korean Missile Launch Condemned
Republicans in Congress are calling for beefed-up missile defense spending and economic sanctions against North Koreaa.

U.S. Representative. McHugh's on Defense Department Budget Cuts
"Additionally, cutting missile defense spending and focusing missile defense programs to a ballistic missile’s terminal phase places unnecessary risk to the homeland," said Congressman John M. McHugh, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Tuesday
7 April 2009
Former Army Nurse Pleads Guilty in Hepatitis-C Case
A former William Beaumont Army Medical Center nurse accused of infecting more than a dozen patients plead guilty to assault and theft.

Hundreds of Soldiers Return to Fort Bliss
It was home sweet home for hundreds of Fort Bliss soldiers from the 2nd Battalion 43rd Air Defense Artillery.

Missile Defense Radar Not Used to Detect North Korea Launch
Missile defense experts question why a $900 million advanced sea-based radar platform was not used to monitor the launch of a North Korean rocket.

Japan Seeks Strong UN Response on North Korea
Washington, Tokyo and Seoul say North Korea's launch on Sunday of a long-range ballistic missile violated U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Israeli Defense Force Makes Technological Advancements for Missile Defense System
Today, the IDF carried out a test launch of the Arrow II Missile Defense System; part of a program designed to improve security methods in Israel and in the United States.

Congress Slams Defense Budget Cuts  
Cutting missile defense just after North Korea's launch of a long-distance missile would leave the United States vulnerable to growing ballistic missile threats.

Lockheed Proposes Funding Plan for Air-Launched Patriot Missile
Lockheed Martin has proposed a plan to develop and integrate an air-launched version of the MIM-104 PAC-3 missile on the Air Force's Boeing F-15C fighter fleet.

Victim's Dad: Husband Wanted Wife Out of Army
The husband of a Fort Bliss soldier he shot and killed was jealous and wanted her to leave the Army.

Monday
6 April2 009
U.S. Missile Defense Plan Endangered in Czech Republic
Plans to place a U.S. missile defense radar in the Czech Republic appear to be on the ropes.

North Korean ICBM Test Highlights Need for Missile Defense
The failed Taepodong-2 ICBM test Sunday highlighted the need for ballistic missile defense systems to defend against such threats.

Kim Could Still Win From Missile Misfire
North Korea may not have succeeded in putting a satellite into orbit. But its long-range missile launch has given new life to the debate over their capabilities -- and intentions.

Lieberman’s Honeymoon With Obama Stops at Missile Defense
 The reconciliation between Senator Joe Lieberman and President Obama  hit a snag Monday over ballistic missile defense.

Obama Seizes on Missile Launch in Seeking Nuclear Cuts
“In a strange turn of history, the threat of global nuclear war has gone down, but the risk of a nuclear attack has gone up,” Mr. Obama told a huge crowd in Prague’s central square.

Gates to Propose U.S. Defense Add-Ons, Not Just Cuts
Defense Secretary Robert Gates will propose to add "a lot of" U.S. capabilities even as he proposes to cut certain arms programs

North Korean Missile Launch Was A Failure, Experts Say
Failure undercut the North Korean campaign to come across as a fearsome adversary able to hurl deadly warheads halfway around the globe.

North Korea Fires Rocket Over Tohoku
North Korea fired a long-range rocket over the Tohoku region Sunday, but Japan did not try to shoot it down because its debris posed no threat to Japanese territory.

Sunday
5 April2 009
Obama Seizes on Missile Launch in Seeking Nuclear Cuts
“In a strange turn of history, the threat of global nuclear war has gone down, but the risk of a nuclear attack has gone up,” President Obama told a huge crowd in Prague’s central square.

Japan Issues Two Missile False Alarms
The Japanese government issued two false alarms Saturday before and after a defense radar system picked up evidence of "a flying object."

Obama Sets Goal on Nuclear Arms as North Korea Launches Rocket
President Obama and  Secretary of State Clinton, got word that U.S. intelligence and defense officials had confirmed North Korea launched a Taepodong-2 rocket over the Sea of Japan.

U.S. Will Ask for Tougher UN Sanctions on North Korea
“This provocation underscores the need for action ...," said President Obama.

Saturday
4 April 2009
As North Korea Counts Down, Japan Talks Tough
Surprised by a 1998 launch, Tokyo is ready this time, warning against any violation of its airspace.

Fort Bliss Soldier Shot Dead On Post
Fort Bliss soldiers and their family members question their safety after a soldier was gunned down on post.

Casey: Longer Home Stays Are Possible
Soldiers fighting overseas could eventually have longer stays at home, depending on supply and demand.

Gates Planning Major Changes In Programs, Defense Budget
Restructuring dozens of major defense programs shifts military spending from preparations for large-scale war against traditional rivals to the counterinsurgency programs likely to dominate U.S. conflicts in coming decades.

New Words For War
As many have pointed out, the old term was awkward -- "terror" describes a means of war, not an enemy.

Air Defense to Leave Fort Bliss Soon
Abrams tanks are replacing Patriot missiles at Fort Bliss.

Friday
3 April 2009
Missing Pieces in Missile Defense
It seems like a no-brainer to deploy the SBX in light of North Korea’s scheduled launch.

Morning Bell: A Missile Defense Wake Up Call
Barring a sudden change in weather, sometime tonight North Korea will likely launch a multistage rocket over Japan, far into the Pacific Ocean.

Gates Prepares ‘Fundamental Shift’ in Defense Funding Priorities
Ballistic missile defense, which represents the Pentagon’s largest acquisitions program, also could be on the chopping block.

Report: New Defense Budget Decimates Weapon Programs
Major portions of the Missile Defense Agency will be dissolved.

Bad News Bears - Economic Fear-Mongering by the Media
There may be a  potential U.S.-Russian deal to stop Iran's nuclear program and to cancel the missile defense plan for Eastern Europe.

Defense Cuts
Gates will essentially terminate the Missile Defense Agency and with it Boeing's Airborne Laser System.

South Korea on Alert for Possible North Korea Missile Launch
The warning came three days after North Korea vowed to wage war against Japan.

Prague 09: Swan Song for Star Wars
The practical reason we need to ditch the European Missile Defense program is because it doesn't work.

Army Family Conference Reveals Top Five 2009 Issues
With 25 years of experience, the Army Family Action Plan program has good reason to boast - it's making real changes happen.

Thursday
2 April 2009
Launch Plan Sets Off Surveillance Frenzy
As tension mount, Japan, the United States and South Korea are deploying several high-tech surveillance systems to monitor what is suspected will actually be a ballistic missile test.

Medvedev Says U.S. Can Move on Missile Shield
Russia's President says that the United States is ready to discuss different ideas on the deployment of a European missile defense system, which Moscow strongly opposes.

Czechs Ban Protest March During Obama's Visit
Czech officials decided to ban any protest march against a U.S. radar base on Czech territory.

Wednesday
1 April 2009
North Korea Threatens to Shoot Down Spy Planes
North Korea accused the United States of spying on the site of an impending rocket launch and threatened to shoot down any U.S. planes that intrude into its airspace.

North Korean Rocket Appears Topped With Satellite
A Taepodong 2 missile on the launch pad is tipped with a bulb-shaped object that is more likely to be a satellite than a warhead

U.S. and Russia Seek New Start With Arms Talks
To “push the reset button” in a relationship that has been teetering on the brink of a new cold war, the two leaders promised to work together on a number of issues.

Analyst: Cut 6 Programs to Save $35B Annually
The U.S. military could save $35 billion a year by killing or substantially cutting six major weapon programs.

Obama Milks Military to Offset Domestic Spending
An analysis by Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee reveals the four military branches will be forced to make up a $141 billion shortfall over two years.

Northrop Study Boosts Case for Missile Defense
While President Obama contemplates cuts to missile defense programs, Northrop Grumman Corp. has issued a risk analysis urging continued vigilance in light of unpredictable "second nuclear age" threats.

New Concerns Over Chinese 'Carrier-Killer'
After years of conjecture, details have begun to emerge of a "kill weapon" developed by the Chinese