The U.S. Army has finalized a deal to procure two Iron Dome missile defense systems as part of an interim cruise missile defense capability. The system is codeveloped by Raytheon and Israel-based Rafael.
The Iron Dome systems fulfill a congressional mandate in the FY19 budget that the Army field two interim cruise missile defense systems by FY20. Depending on how the Iron Dome batteries perform during testing and in the field, they could feed into an enduring capability.
“We’re conducting analysis and experimentation for enduring IFPC,” said Daryl Youngman, the deputy in charge of Army air and missile defense modernization. “So that includes some engineering-level analysis and simulations to determine the performance of multiple options, including Iron Dome — or pieces of Iron Dome — and then how we integrate all of that into the [integrated air and missile defense] system,” Youngman added.
The system falls under the Army’s broader Indirect Fires Protection Capability program.
As editor of International Military Markets, North America, Shaun has cultivated a deep understanding of the vast defense markets in the United States and Canada. Shaun's perspective on defense procurement and budget issues has been cited in a variety of defense periodicals, including Defense News and National Defense Magazine. Further, Shaun played an integral role in the development of Forecast International's U.S. Defense Budget Forecast product, which offers an unprecedented level of insight into the Pentagon's acquisition budget. In addition to providing original analytical content for the U.S. Defense Budget Forecast, Shaun oversees an internal defense budget forecasting process involving Forecast International's team of skilled systems analysts following release of the DoD's annual budget request. Shaun is also in charge of managing Forecast International's Weapons Inventory database.
