Schematic of
BMDS Wizard workflow, adapted with permission from ICF International.
DOD has taken some initial steps to plan for
BMDS support, but efforts to date are incomplete, and difficulties in transitioning responsibilities from MDA to the services have complicated long-term planning.
The enhanced network integration of Aegis BMD and MDA's
BMDS legitimizes the concept of "any sensor, any shooter" and thus extends the battlespace as well as the area defended.
The first priority of the
BMDS implementation strategy--establishing a limited defensive capability against North Korean ballistic missiles--has largely been achieved, with Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) batteries, the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, the forward-deployed AN/TPY-2 radar, and Aegis BMD ships for long-range search, cueing, and engagement.
By canceling the ORDs, Rumsfeld recognized that success in the missile defense battle is only achievable if the
BMDS is seen as a synergistic whole.
BMDS will likely provide the greatest funding of any defense electronics program over the next decade, with radar sensors and complex C4I systems earning the bulk of this," said Dr.
Navy are jointly developing Aegis BMD as part of the
BMDS.
Aegis BMD is also integrated with
BMDS, receiving cues from and providing cueing information to other
BMDS elements.
Under this contract, TRW will provide research and development services to conduct rapid prototyping of the overarching joint and coalition Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) system for the Ballistic Missile Defense System (
BMDS), develop and operate the
BMDS BMC2, Communications test bed, conduct
BMDS interoperability testing and analysis, develop, conduct, and support missile defense modeling and simulation for the overall
BMDS, its segments and program elements, and plan, conduct, and analyze missile defenseBMC2, and communications operator-in-the-loop war games and commander in chief exercises to support the development of joint and coalition missile defense concepts of operation.
Each of the three MDA aircraft can be configured with a variety of sensors to support
BMDS test data collection efforts.
The Aegis BMD Weapon System also integrates with the
BMDS, receiving track data from and providing track information to other
BMDS elements.
BMDS fielding opportunities are structured to occur in "blocks.