Space-based missile tracker comes to Japan

[unhappycamper]

From left, Sgt. 1st Class Rickey Evans,Sgt. 1st Class Cody Dorman and Staff Sgt. Jonas Moody demonstrate how they move one of three satellite antennae that are part of the Joint Tactical Ground Stations detachment at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The unit uses satellite data to receive and process ballistic missile launch information. Its the first system of its kind in Japan, and the second in the Pacific theater.


Space-based missile tracker comes to Japan
By Jennifer H. Svan, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, October 31, 2007


MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — About 24 soldiers will be assigned here to the Joint Tactical Ground Stations unit, or JTAGS, the first of its kind in Japan, according to U.S. Army officials.

Soldiers who will operate the mobile missile tracking system began arriving this summer and more are due, said Capt. Steve Jennison, commander of Charlie Detachment, 1st Space Company, JTAGS.

Though its three satellite antennas can be picked up and moved in the back of vehicles, the station will be a permanent presence at Misawa for the foreseeable future, officials said.

“The plan is not to move,” said Maj. Tim Dalton, 1st Space Company commander at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

Dalton was at Misawa on Friday to conduct a JTAGS site survey.

“We have the ability to operate now,” he said of the system.

JTAGS processes data from U.S. missile-warning satellites orbiting more than 22,000 miles above Earth.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49893



uhc comment: If I'm reading this correctly, the JTAGS program will cost only $103,412,000,000 thru 2013 --> http://www.dtic.mil/descriptivesum/Y2008/Army/0208053A.pdf

The prime contractors are Lockeed and Northrup Grumman.



http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/jtags.htm

The Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) is a transportable information processing system which receives and processes in-theater, raw, wideband infrared data downlinked from Defense Support Program sensors. The system disseminates warning, alerting, and cueing information on Tactical Ballistic Missiles (TBM), and other tactical events of interest throughout the theater using existing communications networks.

JTAGS evolved from the Army Space Exploitation Demonstration Program. Prototype systems were built and demonstrated to CINC's in Europe and Korea in 1993 and 1994. Developed and built by Aerojet for the U.S. Army, JTAGS determines the TBM source by identifying missile launch point and time, and provides an estimation of impact point and time. Since the system is located in-theater, it reduces the possibility of single-point-failure in long-haul communication systems and is responsive to the Theater Commander. It also fulfills the in-theater role of the U.S. Space Command's Theater Event System (TES).

JTAGS maximizes the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and government off-the-shelf (GOTS) equipment. The system is housed in a NBC protected standard military shelter, equipped with a standard mobilizer that permits tow speeds up to 55 mph by a 5-ton truck. It is air transportable by a C-141 or larger aircraft.