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With the ever growing complexity of the air and missile threat environment, combined with the tactical and strategic challenges of the Indo-Pacific, the US Marines’ recent tick of approval for Israel’s Iron Dome capability presents an interesting avenue for Australia’s own AIR 6502 solution.
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Successfully completed in late-2022, the United States Marine Corps has responded to the rapidly evolving threat environment for their expeditionary forces operating across the Indo-Pacific, approving the next stage of development for a medium-range, mobile air defence capability based on the Rafael-designed and built Iron Dome capability.
The series of tests were conducted by the Marines at the White Sands facility in New Mexico as part of the development program to test a new prototype system for medium-range intercept capability (MRIC) leveraging the open architecture infrastructure across Rafael’s suite of advanced missile interceptors with significant benefits for Australia’s own AIR 6502 program.
The proposed US Marine MRIC capability will play a similar role to the proposed medium-range ground-based air defence (MRGBAD) identified by the Australian Defence Force as part of the AIR 6502 Phase 1 program. This program will serve as a key component to the ADF’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) Program — the MRGBAD system will see Defence’s existing Air Defence System enhanced by providing a ground-based middle-layer area air defence capability, designed to deter, deny and/or defeat air and missile threats.
Rafael’s plan, working with Raytheon via the Patriot Missile System, more broadly will incorporate the next-generation capability delivered by the company’s long-range SkyCeptor effector, combined with the technical experience developed by the US Marines to deliver a truly medium-range integrated air and missile defence capability.
Don Kelley, project manager in the Air Defense Department (GBAD) of the Marine Corps’ Land Directorate (PEO Land Systems), said at the end of the test, “The three tests that took place this year proved that the performance of the MRIC system with Iron Dome interceptors is good and provides a dedicated launcher solution for the Marines.”
The successful testing of the capability by the US Marines will combine the vehicle-mounted Iron Dome launcher, paired with Rafael’s SkyHunter (Tamir) interceptors alongside the Common Aviation Command-and-Control System (CAC2S) and a mini battle management control (BMC) system for the Tamir missile, along with the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR).
During this final test conducted by the US Marines, it is stated by Barbara Hamby, a spokesperson for the USMC Program Executive Officer (PEO) Land Systems, that the Iron Dome capability as it was integrated into the US Marines launchers, “demonstrated and proved” that the weapon system “exceeds” the threshold requirements identified by the Marines as fundamental to the success of the platform.
Brigadier General (Ret’d) Shachar Shohat, vice-president air defence, Rafael, explained to Defence Connect the role the SkyCeptor interceptor could play as a “plug and play” system agnostic effector for future integration with any Australian Patriot Missile system acquisition, saying, “The SkyCeptor effector enjoy a high degree of commonality with the existing air defence effectors in the US, Israel and other Western inventories, and incorporates a next-generation capability that futureproofs the effector against current and future threats, including hypersonic weapons, which are growing in proliferation, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
“Leveraging the existing supply chains, technology, experience in the United States and Israel, combined with the economies of scale enjoyed by Rafael’s manufacturing capability, we can ensure that the Australian Defence Force has a leading edge, medium range air defence capability, that is proven and in the process of being fielded by the United States Marines within approximately 24 months from contract signature,” Shohat added.
The AIR 6502 system will be designed to operate either independently or while integrated with the Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) and other elements of the ADF’s IAMD capability to counter a range of current and emerging air and missile threats — with an estimated investment of between AU$4.9 and $7.3 billion, Defence intends to deliver the initial components of MRGBAD system in the late 2020s with the intention to build on the capability over the coming decades.
