Russia’s Zircon hypersonic missile to be test-launched from underwater

March 12, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “The Zircon, a scramjet-powered maneuverable anti-ship cruise missile capable of accelerating to speeds of up to 11,100 km an hour, is one of half-a-dozen or so strategic systems being developed by Russia’s military to help ensure global strategic stability.

The 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile will undergo testing from aboard the K-560 Severodvinsk submarine, a source in the military industry has told Russian media.

The source did not mention a date when testing is expected to begin, but said it would take place once three-to-four more test launches from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate are completed. The test launch is expected to take place from an underwater firing position. The Russian military has not yet commented on the veracity of the reports.

The Zircon was test-launched from the Admiral Gorshkov in January in the Barents Sea, home to Russia’s Northern Fleet.

In December, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that a ground-based version of the Zircon was in development…” (Jesus said discussing events to occur just preceding His return to earth to set up His Kingdom of peace that: “there shall be great tribulation such as never was since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor never shall be again;” – Matthew 24:21. “Come quickly Lord Jesus” – Revelation 22:21.  See the next two reports.)

US trying to catch up with Russia, China in hypersonics

March 3, 2020 — SpaceDaily.com reports: “The United States finds itself behind both Russia and China after the two countries transitioned from hypersonic technologies to working weapon systems, something the Pentagon has yet to accomplish, two officials in charge of the US Department of Defence program told reporters.

‘In past decades we have been world leaders in hypersonic technology, but we have consistently made the decision to not transition that to weapon applications and build weapons systems out of hypersonic technologies’, Mike White, assistant director for hypersonics, said at a briefing on Monday. ‘The Russians and the Chinese quite frankly have both done that. And they have done that quite a number of years ago.’ ‘It’s that transition to the application that got their efforts jumpstarted and that’s what we are accelerating now.’

Mark Lewis attributed Russia’s success to its Soviet-era legacy, while China, according to him, made ‘huge investments’ and used American studies published since the 1940s…”

Department of Defense Tests Hypersonic Glide Body

March 25, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “The Department of Defense successfully tested a hypersonic glide body in a flight experiment conducted from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii, March 19 at approximately 10:30 p.m. local time (HST).

The U.S. Navy and U.S. Army jointly executed the launch of a common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB), which flew at hypersonic speed to a designated impact point.

Concurrently, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) monitored and gathered tracking data from the flight experiment that will inform its ongoing development of systems designed to defend against adversary hypersonic weapons.

Information gathered from this and future experiments will further inform DOD’s hypersonic technology development, and this event is a major milestone towards the department’s goal of fielding hypersonic warfighting capabilities in the early- to mid-2020s…”

United Launch Alliance set to launch the first mission for the US Space Force

March 26, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket is in final preparations to launch the sixth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellite for the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center. The launch is on track for March 26 at Space Launch Complex-41 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Launch is planned for 2:57 p.m. EDT at the opening of a two-hour launch window. The live launch broadcast begins at 2:37 p.m. EDT on www.ulalaunch.com. The launch of AEHF-6 will mark the 138th launch for ULA and first National Security Space mission for the U.S. Space Force.

‘In the current dynamic environment, national security is of utmost importance,’ said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. ‘We are proud to launch the first National Security Space mission for the U.S. Space Force and look forward to delivering the final AEHF asset to support our nation’s national defense and the warfighter community.’

Producing more than two and a half million pounds of thrust at liftoff, the Atlas V 551 configuration rocket is the most powerful in the Atlas V fleet. The 551 rocket has launched groundbreaking missions for our nation-from the critically important MUOS constellation to historic science missions including New Horizons, the first mission to Pluto and the Juno mission to Jupiter. The Atlas V 551 configuration first launched on January 19, 2006 and has launched 10 times to date.

The AEHF system, developed by Lockheed Martin, provides vastly improved global, survivable, protected communications capabilities for strategic command and tactical warfighters…”  (Jesus said: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;  Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh– “ Luke 21:25 – 28.   See the next two reports.)

US Space Force debuts first offensive weapons system

March 16, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “The first offensive weapon system in the United States Space Force, the Counter Communications System Block 10.2, achieved Initial Operating Capability on March 9, providing quick reaction capability with direct operational support to the warfighter.

The Space and Missile Systems Center’s Special Programs directorate and the 4th Space Control Squadron held a ceremony on March 12 to commemorate this historic event handing over a key to symbolize the transfer of responsibility from the space program office to the space operations unit at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

The Counter Communications System, first introduced in 2004, is a transportable space electronic warfare system that reversibly denies adversary satellite communications developed in partnership with L3Harris.Col. Stephen Purdy, SMC Special Programs director, said the benefits of CCS to deployed forces and warfighters cannot be overstated…”

‘Space Fence’ radar operational, tracks objects as small as 10 cms

April 1, 2020 — SpaceDaily.com reports: “A radar system known as Space Fence, which can track material in space as small as 10 centimeters, is fully operational, the U.S. Space Force announced.

Using enhanced S-band radar, the Space Fence improves on previous capabilities of the Space Surveillance Network in tracking objects such as commercial and military satellites, depleted rocket boosters and space debris in low, medium, and geosynchronous Earth orbit regimes, Space Force officials said on Friday.

The SSN has tracked 26,000 objects already accounted for in space, and the new system is expected to vastly increase that figure, essentially offering a catalog and location of every object in space.

‘Space Fence is revolutionizing the way we view space by providing timely, precise orbital data on objects that threaten both manned and unmanned military and commercial space assets,’ said Gen. Jay Raymond, Commander of the U.S. Space Command in the statement…”