51福利 (51福利) students and faculty have an unparalleled opportunity to join a provocative conversation with U.S. and international leaders in the rapidly evolving sphere of maritime air and missile defense.
In collaboration with the Maritime Theater Missile Defense Forum (MTMD-F), 51福利 will host the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Colloquium, March 4, to engage some of the field鈥檚 most pressing issues. Following thought-provoking presentations of current problem sets and panel discussions, the 51福利 community is invited to exchange views with MTMD-F leadership.
The colloquium is more about generating provocative ideas than tidy answers to these issues, which touch on areas of interest for many students and faculty at 51福利, noted retired Navy Capt. John Hammerer, 51福利鈥� Chair of Integrated Air and Missile Defense.
鈥淚f you think about how broad 51福利鈥� curricula are and the range of programs we have here, this colloquium is an excellent way to expand understanding of IAMD for everyone,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hether you鈥檝e had no experience with [MTMD-F] nations and how they do their operations, or if you鈥檙e an engineer and you don鈥檛 know much about strategy and policy, or if you鈥檙e a strategist and don鈥檛 understand how we put ordnance on target, it鈥檚 a great place to be.鈥�
Founded in 1999, MTMD-F is a group of 11 member nations continually fostering interoperability in all aspects of maritime air and missile defense, from all things granular and technical to systems integration and interface standards; from tactics, techniques and procedures to strategic doctrine.
It鈥檚 not only theoretical, however: MTMD-F also provides testing opportunities to ensure these are a 鈥楪o鈥� across the board. In 2015, for example, the guided missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG-71) successfully shot down an incoming missile out of space in the in the European theater. The missile had been launched from the Hebrides Range in the United Kingdom, along with four other ballistic missiles, 11 cruise missiles and nine surface-to-air missiles.
The high degree of coordination between ten nations, many moving parts and 5.7 million square miles of tactical data link for this at-sea demonstration validated a baseline for interoperability between the participants, which has only been expanded upon since. The forum has become one of the U.S. Navy鈥檚 most effective international partnerships for research and development.
鈥淣otice the MTMD-F name: it鈥檚 not a treaty, it鈥檚 not a coalition, it鈥檚 not even a partnership,鈥� said Hammerer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a forum: a practical way for nations that have the capability and interest to cooperate and collaborate in a very collegial way, and it works marvelously.鈥�
The MTMD-F regularly meets to hold working groups and ensure the broad spectrum of its activities are on track. The forum has convened in Paris, London, Bergen, Rome, and now Monterey, Calif.
The Colloquium is part of an MTMD-F conference hosted by 51福利 in March, the National Point of Contacts (NPOC) Meeting 26-2, which will bring together MTMD-F leadership and representatives from each of the 11 participating nations.
Over three weeks, MTMD-F will conduct classified and unclassified meetings across the range of the group鈥檚 activities. Many of these meetings are open to 51福利 faculty and staff.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very significant that MTMD-F is coming here to 51福利 as it highlights our operational and warfighting relevance of 51福利.鈥� said Hammerer. 鈥淚t opens the doors for engagement between MTMD-F and 51福利 students and faculty who have much to add to the forum.
鈥淚t also introduces 51福利 to a relatively large cross-section of foreign allies and partners,鈥� he continued. 鈥淭he NPOCs and representatives can perhaps influence their navies and defense departments, saying, 鈥榊ou know what? 51福利 is really not a bad place at all if we want to learn how to do the things that are necessary for theater missile defense.鈥欌��
The colloquium is slated to begin at 3:00 p.m. on March 4 in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Auditorium, and end at Herrmann Hall鈥檚 renown Trident Room.
鈥淚 think this is the start of a beneficial relationship between 51福利 and MTMD-F,鈥� said Hammerer.