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US Army has requested $800+ MM in FY24 for the Lower Tier Air & Missile Sensor #LTAMDS (AN/MPQ-65A replacement). This funding will support further development, testing & acquisition of 5 radars - 3 EOC radars for Pacific Deterrence initiative & +2 radars to support IOT&E. #GaN. 
Meanwhile, the 2nd Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense sensor has begun verification testing at WSMR. The first sensor has been undergoing testing & EOC integration activities at #WSMR for quite some time. #LTAMDS will transition to developmental testing in late FY23. #GaN
In the coming months, the US Army will receive an initial batch of 16 Indirect Fire Protection Capability INC 2 #EnduringShield launchers & AIM-9X II missiles. These organically IBCS compatible launchers will be the Cruise Missile Defense component of Army's IAMD system.
Once fielded, they will be on the Army's Integrated Fire Control Network, using relays to extend coverage area. Together with PATRIOT launchers, #LTAMDS & Sentinel A4 radars, they will be part of a broader layered missile defense architecture operating on a shared C2 & network.
Enduring Shield kinetic launchers will be networked with the Directed Energy components of IFPC. Currently, the Army is fabricating the first 4 300kW High Energy Laser systems to support CRAM, UAS, and Cruise Missile missions. IFPC-HPM is adding a High Power Microwave DE layer.
I often see PAC3 CRI & the PAC3 MSE being used interchangeably. They are very different. The MSE introduces a higher performance, dual pulse, 11-inch SRM, improved LE, more responsive control surfaces, & guidance upg. Overall, it's more agile, faster, with ⬆️ engagement envelope.
These enhancements 👆are significant enough that MSE's performance agains TBM's is presently limited by the capability of the current #PATRIOT RS. That's why the Army has delivered the THAAD-MSE capability allowing MSE to maximize its envelope. #LTAMDS allow's the same to AIAMD.
The larger MSE missile reduces the launcher magazine size from 16 CRI PAC-3 rounds to 12 PAC-3 MSE missiles. This will likely change once the PATRIOT launcher is replaced but but the current launcher allows for a mix MSE and CRI loadout of 14 missiles 👇
