US Air Force seeking air defense missile system to protect air bases
AI Analysis
The U.S. Air Force has issued a Request for Information for a new ground-based air defense missile system to protect its installations against cruise missiles and drones. The system must be capable of intercepting threats ranging from small Group 1 kamikaze drones to large Group 5 UAVs, with an emphasis on magazine depth and transportability. This initiative reflects a strategic shift for the Air Force to independently defend its airfields rather than relying on the Army.
Key Takeaways
- US Air Force issued an RFI for a ground-based air defense missile system to protect air bases from cruise missiles and drones.
- The system must counter a wide threat spectrum, from Group 1 (under 21 lbs) to Group 5 (over 1,320 lbs) UAS.
- Key requirements include high firing rate, deep magazine capacity, seamless C2 integration, and transportability.
- The request is driven by recent successful drone and missile strikes on U.S. and allied bases in the Middle East by Iranian weapons.
- The Air Force aims to establish its own air defense capabilities for expeditionary airbases, moving away from reliance on the Army's Patriot systems.
Why It Matters
This development signifies a critical doctrinal shift as the Air Force seeks independent, layered air defense capabilities to counter the growing threat of drone and missile swarms. The emphasis on magazine depth and wide threat coverage highlights lessons learned from recent Middle East attacks and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where air defenses have been overwhelmed.
The U.S. Air Force is out to find an air defense missile system to defend the service’s installations against cruise missiles and drones.
The goal is to “identify industry partners capable of providing a Ground-Based Launcher solution to protect United States Air Force assets,” according to a Request for Information submitted by the service. The request has a response deadline of Aug. 6.
The RFI lists requirements that suggest an air defense system that can handle a variety of threats. In addition to intercepting cruise missiles, the Air Force wants missiles that can destroy drones ranging in size from Group 1 (maximum gross takeoff weight of less than 21 pounds) to Group 5 (maximum weight of more than 1,320 pounds).
This would mean a single system that could stop everything from a small kamikaze drone to a giant Global Hawk-sized UAV.
The query comes as U.S. and allied military bases in the Middle East have been struck hard by Iranian drones and missiles.
Iranian weapons destroyed a valuable U.S. E-3 Sentry AWACS, damaged at least five KC-135 tankers at Saudi airbases and devastated multiple air defense radars.
Likewise, Russia and Ukraine have been hammering each other with waves of drones and missiles that overwhelm air defenses and deplete stockpiles of interceptors.
Not surprisingly, the Air Force wants a defense system with plenty of ammunition. Contractors are asked to “outline operational performance metrics, specifically the firing rate across all magazines and the total magazine depth, while demonstrating seamless command and control (C2) system integration for rapid sensor data dissemination and weapons cueing.”
The RFI suggests a desire for a self-contained system that is easily transportable, uses a laser illuminator for fire control and possesses integrated sensing capabilities. The RFI lists 11 “critical baseline attributes” for the Ground-Based Launcher, including cost, transportability, manpower requirements and built-in testing diagnostics for maintenance and safety.
As background, contractors are asked to refer to the 2012 Joint Staff publication JP 3-01, “Countering Air and Missile Threats.”
Even before the Iran War, the defense of Air Force bases spurred debate. Last year, a strategist on the Air Staff argued that the Air Force should stop relying on the Army for primary air defense of airfields.
He warned that expeditionary airbases lack sophisticated systems like the Patriot, and that the Air Force’s own security forces are poorly equipped for air defense.
Michael Peck is a correspondent for Defense News and a columnist for the Center for European Policy Analysis. He holds an M.A. in political science from Rutgers University. Find him at theuncommondefense.com. His email is mikedefense1@gmail.com.