The increasing threat posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles in the vicinity of the south-east border of the Alliance has been, and remains a driver in NATO’s development and deployment of a ballistic missile defense system, which is configured to counter threats from outside the Euro-Atlantic area.
NATO ballistic missile defense (BMD) is part of the Alliance’s response against the increasing threat and of its core task of collective defense.
Lockheed Martin and ThalesRaytheonSystems have joined forces to provide the NATO Alliance with a territorial BMD command and control capability.
The Teaming Agreement, signed in the presence of Raytheon and Thales, establishes a transatlantic team that combines the depth and breadth of decades of expertise from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, with the European air command and control capabilities of Thales.
The overall team will include industry representatives from across the Alliance to deliver a low risk capability for NATO’s Air Command and Control BMD program.
At the 2010 Lisbon Summit, NATO leaders decided to develop a Missile Defense Capability to protect all NATO European populations and territories against ballistic missile attacks.
The Alliance’s Heads of State and Government said that they see this as a core element of NATO’s collective defense task in view of the growing threat of the proliferation of ballistic missile technology and weapons of mass destruction.
The focus of the Program is the upgrade, test and integration of NATO’s command and control (C2) systems and underlying communication network to enable effective information exchanges between various NATO and national missile defense systems.
This integrated system-of-systems architecture will provide NATO forces, whether deployed within or beyond NATO’s area of responsibility, with the capability to defend NATO populations and territories.
“Our companies are committed to providing the best technical and program talent available to provide a low risk and operationally relevant NATO BMD capability,” said Dave Gulla, vice president of Mission Systems and Solutions, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.
“We are confident that this teaming framework creates the best value for NATO and ensures delivery of a timely and effective territorial BMD capability.”
“Lockheed Martin delivered the Defense Design System for NATO’s BMD planning capability,” said Dr. Rob Smith, vice president of C4ISR for Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems.
“We will leverage that success, as well as our expertise in command and control, weapon system development and systems integration to achieve the Alliance goals.”
“Lockheed’s success in delivering the C2 capability for US Ballistic Missile Defense System is a result of our focus on end user needs.”
“We delivered a very complex C2 capability that is intuitive and effective for mission execution.”
“We accomplished this in partnership with Raytheon and other US companies and we look forward to delivering this capability with Thales and TRS.”
“This teaming agreement is perfectly aligned with our four companies orientations towards both system of systems innovative solutions and reinforcing existing partnerships, which proved its value through the previous joint successes such as Theater Missile Defense,” added Thomas Got, Head of the Air Operations and Weapons System line of business for Thales Group.
“Our companies will join the best of each in meeting NATO’s command and control needs.”
“This Teaming Agreement codifies the relationship established with Lockheed Martin in 2008 to deliver NATO’s Theater Missile Defense capability,” according to Eric Marceau, CEO of the TRS Joint Venture.
“It will further our collaboration to deliver the full spectrum capability the Alliance requires for territorial Ballistic Missile Defense.”
“This team will provide the operational command and control capability for the protection for all NATO European populations, territory and forces against the threats posed by ballistic missiles.”
The final aim of NATO BMD is to provide full coverage and protection for all NATO European populations, territory and forces against the increasing threats posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles.
This coverage is based on the principles of indivisibility of Allied security and NATO solidarity, equitable sharing of risks and burdens, as well as reasonable challenge.
It also takes into account the level of threat, affordability and technical feasibility, and is in accordance with the latest common threat assessments agreed by the Alliance.
Should international efforts reduce the threats posed by ballistic missile proliferation, NATO missile defense can, and will, adapt accordingly.
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(Collective defense is at the core of NATO’s mission and its Ballistic Missile Defence capability is one of the key tools of keeping NATO nations safe. Courtesy of NATO and YouTube. Posted on Jul 8, 2016.)
