Western Europe

MDO, through participation in multinational expert groups, cooperative research programs and Theater Missile Defense (TMD) exercises, provides many of the technical, analytical and operational underpinnings to support an overall NATO acquisition strategy. Specifically, a U.S.-chaired Theater Missile Defense Project Group (TMD PG), chartered by NATO's Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD), is implementing a plan for layered TMD through an examination of missile defense concepts by NATO industries to define a NATO architecture. With a basic political and operational framework now in place, BMDO will continue to provide support to NATO decision-making related to acquisition programs; to support exercises like Optic Windmill, Roving Sands, and Central Enterprise; and to encourage other activities related to TMD. For example, in 1996, the U.S. began sharing TMD early warning information in real time with NATO and is now in the process of upgrading this capability.

The U.S. and UK have conducted extensive cooperative BMD research, technology demonstrations, experiments, trials, information and scientist/engineer exchanges with the United States. This cooperative relationship, among other things, has led to improvements in BMC3, early warning radar and fire control technologies and an improved understanding of TMD countermeasures and lethality threats. A U.S./UK Scientific Cooperative Research Exchange (SCORE) Program has become the primary mechanism foridentifying, facilitating, and managing cooperative programs, research, and data exchange with the UK.

Building on early agreements and a number of early cooperative technical projects, the U.S. and Germany have developed a strong relationship, paving the way, for example, for the installation of a Extended Air Defense Test Bed node in Germany and a Common Interoperability Program, which seeks to enable the establishment of coalition warfighting capabilities, between U.S. and German PATRIOT units. Germany is a strong U.S. partner in TMD and has committed to upgrading their PATRIOT to PAC-3. Germany is also collaborating with the U.S. and Italy in the development of a new air and missile defense system called the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), which is intended to replace the aging Improved HAWK system.

The Netherlands is studying further possible air and missile defense and intends to purchase the PAC-3 to upgrade their operational PATRIOT capability. Additionally, The Royal Netherlands Navy is working with the U.S. Navy regarding the TMD capable Standard Missile BLK-IVA for their new air defense frigate.

Middle East

srael has been actively involved in cooperative missile defense programs with BMDO since the mid 1980s. Given the existing and rapidly developing missile threats in the region, Israel was the first allied nation to declare its intent to field a missile defense system as a national priority. Ongoing cooperative programs gives primary emphasis to the completion of development and the fielding of the Arrow Weapons System (AWS); BMDO has other programs with Israel, namely an Israeli Test Bed (ITB), and an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Boost Phase Intercept (BPI) Risk Mitigation Effort.

The on-going phase of BMDO's involvement with the Israeli AWS is called the Arrow Deployability Program (ADP). The program provides for the integration, test, and evaluation of the AWS, namely the jointly developed Arrow interceptor and launcher and the Israeli developed Fire Control Radar, Launcher Control Center and Fire Control Center. Additionally, to support AWS interoperatibility, a translator was developed to provide a common radio communication link between AWS and U.S. TMD systems. Planning has begun, using ADP as a point of departure, to improve the performance of the AWS so that it will remain effective against evolving Middle Eastern ballistic missile threats. The initial phase of this follow-on program, called Arrow System Improvement Program (ASIP), will develop a requirement specification that may lead to subsequent phases for the development, integration, and testing of improved AWS capabilities. Operational since January 1993, the Israeli Test Bed (ITB) is a TMD simulation facility that evaluates Israeli missile defense scenarios, provides insight for fielding missile defense systems, and evaluates the role of human-in-the-loop in TMD activities.

Asia and Pacific

Japan
In addition to several high technology cooperation research and technology projects, BMDO has worked closely with Japan in the conduct of bilateral BMD studies both with industry and with government. An agreement, signed in August 1999, initiated cooperative research on advanced components for the SM-3 missile for the Navy Theater Wide Theater Ballistic Missile Defense program. This cooperative effort will provide a technical basis to contribute to the Japanese Government decision-making concerning whether it will proceed to development and deployment of a ballistic missile defense capability in Japan.

Korea
The PATRIOT is deployed with U.S. Forces and BMDO has worked with U.S. and combined forces to improve missile defense capabilities. Korea will decide in early 2001 on a replacement for its aging air defense system. It is currently considering proposals from the U.S. (PATRIOT) and Russia (S-300).

Australia
BMDO has cooperated on several high technology projects related to TBM launch detection/tracking, Electronic Warfare, and Battle Management, Command, Control, and Communications. Technology cooperation will continue as mutually beneficial projects are identified.

Taiwan
Taiwan has deployed three Modified Air Defense Systems (MADS, which are equivalent to PAC-3, Configuration 2), and has received preliminary approval to upgrade these to PAC-3, Configuration 3 (Ground), Guidance Enhance Missile (GEM), and purchase 6 additional upgraded fire units. BMDO provides technical support to a DOD dialogue with Taiwan in determining their specific missile defense requirements.

Central and East Europe Nations

BMDO is engaged with Russia in a variety of basic and applied research programs as well technology cooperation projects such as Russian- American Observation Satellites (RAMOS) program. Additionally, the U.S. and Russia conduct joint TMD exercises, successfully completing the first TMD command post exercise (CPX) in June 1996 at the Joint National Test Facility in Colorado Springs and the second in Moscow in January 1998. A third exercise is scheduled to be conducted in September 2001.

BMDO has modest technology projects with the Czech Republic and Hungary. These programs access existing technological capabilities in Central and Eastern Europe at minimal cost to the United States.