Dear Members and Friends,

The missile defense world is on edge from a precarious set of strategic incidents that have taken place this past week. From a failed coup in Turkey, NATO’s strategic cornerstone country that deploys a U.S. TYP-2 Radar that Europe is dependent on for missile defense (click here for more information on the failed coup in Turkey) to The Hague judgement against China in the South China Sea that will accelerate proliferation of anti-access/area denial systems (A2/AD) in the region (click here for more information on the judgement by the Hague). The backlash of Chinese reaction and Korean public opinion in the aftermath of the announcement of the THAAD deployment in South Korea (click here for more information on deployment of THAAD in South Korea), to the Yemeni Army’s use of a short-range ballistic missile killing 179 Saudi-led coalition forces yesterday (click here for more information on the Yemeni missile attacks).

In conjunction with the RIMPAC exercises off the coast of Hawaii, the Maritime Theater Missile Defense Forum completed a live-fire At-Sea Demonstration, utilizing three ships and service members from the Forum nations of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United States, to intercept four air targets simultaneously while also tracking a supersonic ballistic missile target (click here for more information on the At-Sea Demonstration off the coast of Hawaii). Finishing it off last weekend, on Friday Iran launched its fourth ballistic missile test since the signing of JCPOA deal (click here for more information on Iran’s missile test) while Russia announced future plans to deploy an S-400 anti-access missile and air defense system in Crimea (click here for more information on Russia’s deployment of defensive systems to Crimea).

These real world multiple complex events demonstrate the irrefutable need for deployment of air and missile defense systems around the world for protection, and deterrence, in making the world a safer place.

Appropriately, this week, the biggest missile defense acquisition and R&D institution in the world, the Missile Defense Agency brings together its critical mass of people and partnerships at Fort Belvoir, Virginia to push forward solutions and architectures that stay ahead of the threat and defend regions and populations around the world.

In addition, starting today, one of two United States Presidential Conventions this summer begins, the Republican National Convention out of Cleveland, Ohio this evening will lay down their platforms and policy’s to include missile defense if the Republican Party wins the White House in the fall.

Lets take the edge off of the world.