Major Shaitan Singh
SENIOR MEMBER
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Detection
The greatest challenge for a cruise missile defense is the detection and tracking of the missile early enough to engage it before it reaches its target. A viable cruise missile defense will have as its goal the earliest possible detection of a missile after its launch. Sensor detection capabilities should be pushed out to as far a distance as possible from the areas defended to allow as much time as possible to track and intercept the missile. Also, in homeland defense, intercepting the attacking missile out over the ocean lessens the consequence management implications than over populated areas on land. Achieving this requires the ability to detect and launch an interceptor quickly so as to extend intercept ranges to the farthest point possible. Cruise missile flight paths make detection a particularly challenging undertaking. Shorter range missiles offer little reaction time. The missiles fly close to the Earth’s surface, and advanced systems are programmed to use topography (valleys, hills,
and mountains) and the Earth’s curvature to mask their approach from detection by the defender. Traditional approaches to CMD were specific, i.e., the defense of a particular point such as a naval vessel or military base, and relied on radar to fulfill the detection mission. By virtue of their size and design, cruise missiles present small radar cross sections (RCS) during head-on intercept, which is the method employed by most point defenses.124 Generally, low-flying objects are difficult to detect against other ground objects and sea-backgrounds. The radar must locate a faint cruise missile signal against “the hundreds of thousands of echoed returns from signals created by ground clutter.”125 Ground-based radars have gaps in their field of coverage that allow lowflying objects, like cruise missiles, to exploit the curvature of the Earth. Defense of wider areas requires complementing the ground-based radar with air- or space-borne
assets to provide more time to detect and track and result in more opportunities for interception.
Both the Air Force’s Airborne Warning and Control System
(AWACS) and the Navy’s E-2 Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft are tasked with detecting and tracking airborne threats at the greatest possible distances,and with directing combat aircraft and anti-air batteries to deal with these air threats.
The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor (JLENS) is a longer-term option for stationary airborne sensor missions.130 JLENS is an unpiloted, lighter-than-air vehicle,
essentially an unpowered, tethered balloon, used as an at-altitude radar observation platform. Operating at 10,000 to 15,000 feet, the JLENS can look down over the horizon and down into otherwise-hidden terrain, to scan for cruise missiles.
Interceptors
Once an attacking cruise missile is located, the next major challenge is to shoot it down. Combat aircraft and ship-borne defense systems are the two principal means currently at the India’s disposal to shoot down cruise missiles. The Sypder, Iron Dome, Barak II, S300/400 and Advanced Air Defence system offers the most viable option for deployment in the near-term of a cost effective wide area defense
All current Indian front-line fighters since the Navy’s MIG 29k have been equipped with look-down, shoot-down, pulse-Doppler radar. This radar technology was designed from the outset to “see” and direct air-to-air missiles against airborne targets flying at low altitudes against ground clutter. All front-line Indian fighter aircraft can carry the AMRAAM active-radar homing air-to-air missile, with a range of up to 110 km.The newly deployed SU 30 MKI air-dominance fighter is also said to have improved cruise missile defense capabilities.Other potential platforms for the ALHTK include the MIG 29, Mirage 2000 , and Jaguar .These weapons would then be carried by aircraft flying Combat Air Patrols to provide area defense against all aerial threats.
Only the construction of an active defense ensures the ability to
intercept and destroy cruise missiles after they have been launched.
Only an active defense deployed on a wide-area scale can defend the
cities.
The greatest challenge for a cruise missile defense is the detection and tracking of the missile early enough to engage it before it reaches its target. A viable cruise missile defense will have as its goal the earliest possible detection of a missile after its launch. Sensor detection capabilities should be pushed out to as far a distance as possible from the areas defended to allow as much time as possible to track and intercept the missile. Also, in homeland defense, intercepting the attacking missile out over the ocean lessens the consequence management implications than over populated areas on land. Achieving this requires the ability to detect and launch an interceptor quickly so as to extend intercept ranges to the farthest point possible. Cruise missile flight paths make detection a particularly challenging undertaking. Shorter range missiles offer little reaction time. The missiles fly close to the Earth’s surface, and advanced systems are programmed to use topography (valleys, hills,
and mountains) and the Earth’s curvature to mask their approach from detection by the defender. Traditional approaches to CMD were specific, i.e., the defense of a particular point such as a naval vessel or military base, and relied on radar to fulfill the detection mission. By virtue of their size and design, cruise missiles present small radar cross sections (RCS) during head-on intercept, which is the method employed by most point defenses.124 Generally, low-flying objects are difficult to detect against other ground objects and sea-backgrounds. The radar must locate a faint cruise missile signal against “the hundreds of thousands of echoed returns from signals created by ground clutter.”125 Ground-based radars have gaps in their field of coverage that allow lowflying objects, like cruise missiles, to exploit the curvature of the Earth. Defense of wider areas requires complementing the ground-based radar with air- or space-borne
assets to provide more time to detect and track and result in more opportunities for interception.
Both the Air Force’s Airborne Warning and Control System
(AWACS) and the Navy’s E-2 Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft are tasked with detecting and tracking airborne threats at the greatest possible distances,and with directing combat aircraft and anti-air batteries to deal with these air threats.
The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor (JLENS) is a longer-term option for stationary airborne sensor missions.130 JLENS is an unpiloted, lighter-than-air vehicle,
essentially an unpowered, tethered balloon, used as an at-altitude radar observation platform. Operating at 10,000 to 15,000 feet, the JLENS can look down over the horizon and down into otherwise-hidden terrain, to scan for cruise missiles.
Interceptors
Once an attacking cruise missile is located, the next major challenge is to shoot it down. Combat aircraft and ship-borne defense systems are the two principal means currently at the India’s disposal to shoot down cruise missiles. The Sypder, Iron Dome, Barak II, S300/400 and Advanced Air Defence system offers the most viable option for deployment in the near-term of a cost effective wide area defense
All current Indian front-line fighters since the Navy’s MIG 29k have been equipped with look-down, shoot-down, pulse-Doppler radar. This radar technology was designed from the outset to “see” and direct air-to-air missiles against airborne targets flying at low altitudes against ground clutter. All front-line Indian fighter aircraft can carry the AMRAAM active-radar homing air-to-air missile, with a range of up to 110 km.The newly deployed SU 30 MKI air-dominance fighter is also said to have improved cruise missile defense capabilities.Other potential platforms for the ALHTK include the MIG 29, Mirage 2000 , and Jaguar .These weapons would then be carried by aircraft flying Combat Air Patrols to provide area defense against all aerial threats.
Only the construction of an active defense ensures the ability to
intercept and destroy cruise missiles after they have been launched.
Only an active defense deployed on a wide-area scale can defend the
cities.