Latest news with #LRDR
Newsweek
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Alliance Gets Major Missile Defense Boost Against Pacific Adversaries
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States and Japan—a key Washington ally—have received a major boost in missile defense against threats posed by their adversaries, namely China, North Korea and Russia. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese and Russian defense ministries for comment via email. North Korea's embassy in China did not immediately respond to a written request for comment. Why It Matters China has built a missile arsenal capable of targeting Japan—including U.S. military bases there—as well as long-range, nuclear-armed missiles designed to reach the U.S. mainland, according to the Pentagon, prompting the allies to strengthen their missile defense networks. Facing a growing threat from North Korea—which has frequently conducted missile tests by firing weapons into waters near Japan—the U.S. has deployed missile interceptors in Alaska and California to defend the mainland against North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missiles. Russia, which possesses the world's largest nuclear arsenal, also has missiles capable of targeting the U.S. mainland. Its relations with Japan have deteriorated since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when Japan joined the U.S. and other nations in imposing sanctions on Russia. In this photo provided by Lockheed Martin on July 7, 2025, an AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar antenna is being hoisted into position. In this photo provided by Lockheed Martin on July 7, 2025, an AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar antenna is being hoisted into position. Lockheed Martin What To Know U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin announced on Monday that it has delivered four AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar antennas to the Japanese Defense Ministry. These will be installed on Japan's under-development destroyer, known as the Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV). Japan has acquired a pair of ASEVs for its Maritime Self-Defense Force, which are set to be commissioned in fiscal years 2027 and 2028, according to Lockheed Martin. They can engage multiple targets simultaneously with "advanced detection and tracking capabilities." Each of Japan's 12,000-ton ASEVs—which will be tasked with defending the nation against ballistic missile attacks—is equipped with up to 128 missiles for intercepting various types of enemy missiles, as well as for land-attack missions, according to specialist outlet Naval News. The shipboard radar installed on the ASEV has a land-based counterpart currently deployed by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency as the Long-Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) at Clear Space Force Station in Alaska, which was initially fielded in December 2021. On June 23, the LRDR conducted its first flight test tracking a live intercontinental ballistic missile target, during which it successfully "acquired, tracked, and reported missile target data" to support a simulated engagement, according to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. The target was air-launched over the northern Pacific Ocean and flew over 1,200 miles off the southern coast of Alaska. Data reported by the LRDR and the Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) was transmitted to the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. This photo provided by the United States Missile Defense Agency on June 24, 2025, shows the Long-Range Discrimination Radar at Clear Space Force Station in Alaska. This photo provided by the United States Missile Defense Agency on June 24, 2025, shows the Long-Range Discrimination Radar at Clear Space Force Station in Alaska. U.S. Missile Defense Agency The GMD protects the U.S. homeland against North Korean missile attacks. It was used in a simulated intercontinental ballistic missile attack in April during Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll's visit to Fort Greely in Alaska, where up to 60 missile interceptors are deployed in silos. What People Are Saying Chandra Marshall, vice president of Multi-Domain Combat Solutions at Lockheed Martin, said in a press release on Monday: "The successful on-time delivery of all antennas for the first ASEV showcases the maturity and scalability of the SPY-7 radar as well as production capacity, while also demonstrating Lockheed Martin's dedication and expertise in system integration." Lieutenant General Heath Collins, director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, said in a press release on June 24: "LRDR will provide [United States Northern Command] and the United States Space Force with the ability to precisely track ballistic missile threats as well as other space objects, advancing our ability to deter adversaries and bolster our homeland missile defense." What Happens Next The testing of the LRDR's tracking capabilities comes as the Trump administration pushes for a nationwide missile defense program known as the Golden Dome.
AsiaOne
25-06-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
US tests radar that could link into Golden Dome to detect China, Russia threats, World News
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has successfully tested a long-range radar in Alaska that can detect missile threats from Russia or China, and could someday serve as a sensor in the Golden Dome missile defence shield. The Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) successfully acquired, tracked, and reported missile target data, the Pentagon said on Tuesday (June 24). These are key tasks for Golden Dome, a US$175 billion (S$224 billion) programme aimed at protecting the US and possibly allies from ballistic missiles. The US Defence Department's long-range radar in Central Alaska was built by Lockheed Martin as part of the existing Ground-Based Midcourse Defence missile defence system. The system is designed to increase the effectiveness of interceptors based in Alaska and California that are currently on standby to knock down incoming missiles launched by Iran or North Korea. The US Missile Defence Agency (MDA), alongside the US Space Force and US Northern Command, conducted the flight test at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska, on Monday. During this test, a target developed by MDA was air-launched over the Northern Pacific Ocean and flew over 2,000km off the southern coast of Alaska where it was tracked by LRDR. The Golden Dome missile defence shield aims to create a network of satellites to detect, track and intercept incoming missiles. Inspired by Israel's Iron Dome, the Golden Dome programme faces political scrutiny and funding uncertainty due to its projected cost. The shield is expected to be operational by January 2029, though experts question the timeline and budget feasibility. [[nid:719028]]
