The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) recently completed a comprehensive system demonstration at Pratica di Mare Air Base near Rome, Italy. The two-week test demonstration included significant first-time events that were observed by several national delegations.

“The outstanding result is that we have demonstrated the full range of advanced network capabilities that only MEADS can provide. These ground-breaking capabilities are ready to be carried forward to meet national needs,” said MEADS International Executive Vice President Volker Weidemann.

The tests, including operational demonstrations run by German and Italian military personnel, were designed to seamlessly add and subtract system elements under representative combat conditions, and to blend MEADS with other systems in a larger system architecture:

Using plug-and-fight (the military equivalent of plug-and-play that enables automatic integration of disparate system elements into a single super-system), MEADS demonstrated its ability to rapidly attach and control an external Italian deployable air defense radar. As a fully integrated asset in the MEADS network, the radar tracked air objects and supplied a common integrated air picture of the area around Pratica di Mare. MEADS operators were able to rapidly recognize, incorporate, control, remove, reallocate and reposition launchers and sensors during engagement operations.

Using an external sensor and track data provided via the Link 16 data-exchange network, MEADS engaged a simulated cruise missile and other threats simultaneously. This showed MEADS' engage-on-remote flexibility, which allows operators to target threats at greater distances despite being masked by terrain.

Using the MEADS netted and distributed network architecture, the system automatically selected the best launcher for target engagement and demonstrated control of engagement operations from each battle manager. This proved that by reassigning workload, MEADS can maintain defense capabilities if any system element is lost or fails.

Interoperability with German and Italian air defense assets was demonstrated through exchange of standardized NATO messages. Key Italian air-defense assets were integrated into a test bed at an Italian national facility, while the Surface to Air Missile Operations Centre and Patriot assets were integrated into a test bed at the German Air Force Air Defense Center in Fort Bliss, Texas. MEADS further demonstrated capability to perform engagement coordination with other systems, which no fielded system is able to do.

All criteria for success were achieved.

MEADS International, a multinational joint venture headquartered in Orlando, Florida, is the prime contractor for the MEADS system. Major subcontractors and joint venture partners are MBDA in Italy and Germany, and Lockheed Martin in the United States.