The airship opened new opportunities for the American missile defense system
During the first tests conducted on the territory of the Utah test site for the first time, the Patriot PAC-3 anti-aircraft missile system, using the JLENS airship, successfully intercepted a cruise missile, Cnews.ru reports.
Thus, with the help of a promising JLENS low-flying detection system, one of the components of the United States anti-missile defense system has new capabilities.
Back in 2004, the anti-aircraft missile system PAC-3 demonstrated the ability to shoot down cruise missiles. Then one PAC-3 rocket was able to successfully intercept the low-flying MQM-107D target. However, in order to successfully intercept cruise missiles, it is necessary to detect them in a timely manner. This is quite a challenge due to the small effective area of the scattering of missiles and their flight at low altitude. For this reason, in real combat conditions, intercepting a cruise missile with the help of the PAC-3 air defense system will be more likely a success.
Thanks to the airship JLENS the situation can change dramatically. The JLENS system, which was developed by Raytheon, is a bundle of two 74 long balloons. With the help of the first balloon, survey radar is lifted to an altitude of 3000 meters, due to which a 360-degree survey is provided at a distance of hundreds of kilometers above sea and land. With the help of another airship, equipped with a radar fire control, it is possible to aim at the target of various anti-aircraft weapons: ground-based air defense systems, fighters, ships. At the same time on each airship, you can install other communication and sensor systems.
In February of this year, the JLENS system successfully completed the first demonstration test. This once again proves the effectiveness and correctness of the chosen concept. Airships are capable of providing long-term observation and reliable target detection in hard-to-reach places, including in the mountains. In addition, the JLENS system has the ability to provide target designation, as well as to identify targets, determining their belonging to someone else / someone else.
Thus, with the help of a promising JLENS low-flying detection system, one of the components of the United States anti-missile defense system has new capabilities.
Back in 2004, the anti-aircraft missile system PAC-3 demonstrated the ability to shoot down cruise missiles. Then one PAC-3 rocket was able to successfully intercept the low-flying MQM-107D target. However, in order to successfully intercept cruise missiles, it is necessary to detect them in a timely manner. This is quite a challenge due to the small effective area of the scattering of missiles and their flight at low altitude. For this reason, in real combat conditions, intercepting a cruise missile with the help of the PAC-3 air defense system will be more likely a success.
Thanks to the airship JLENS the situation can change dramatically. The JLENS system, which was developed by Raytheon, is a bundle of two 74 long balloons. With the help of the first balloon, survey radar is lifted to an altitude of 3000 meters, due to which a 360-degree survey is provided at a distance of hundreds of kilometers above sea and land. With the help of another airship, equipped with a radar fire control, it is possible to aim at the target of various anti-aircraft weapons: ground-based air defense systems, fighters, ships. At the same time on each airship, you can install other communication and sensor systems.
In February of this year, the JLENS system successfully completed the first demonstration test. This once again proves the effectiveness and correctness of the chosen concept. Airships are capable of providing long-term observation and reliable target detection in hard-to-reach places, including in the mountains. In addition, the JLENS system has the ability to provide target designation, as well as to identify targets, determining their belonging to someone else / someone else.
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