Rear
Adm. J.R. Wolfe, Program Executive for Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)
recently applauded the efforts of NSWCDD’s Aegis team for “exceptional support
provided while reviewing the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System (AAMDS)
Baseline 9.B1.0.0.1E in Romania during Operational Deployment.”
NSWCDD’s
leadership presented the team members with awards during the last quarterly
Management Forum held in May. Awardees
included Annabelle Bequio, Tracy Blake, Carolyn Blakelock, Ronald DeClute,
Stephen “Pete” Gaither, Mike Gammill, Jolymar Gonzalez-Esteves, David Hayes,
Michael Huang, Joe Janney and Hitendra Thakkar.
According
to Rear Adm. Wolfe, Dahlgren’s efforts as the Vertical Launch System Safety
Lead were central to Operational Deployment approval for AAMDS Baseline
9.B1.0.0.1E in Romania. “I am grateful for your hard work and deep commitment
to the success of Aegis BMD,” reads an excerpt from the Rear Admiral Wolfe’s Letter
of Appreciation. “Your contributions were critical to the MDA’s top two
strategic goals: “Support the
Warfighter” and “Prove the power of missile defense through testing.”
NSWCDD
worked with Aegis BMD to obtain approval from the Weapon System Explosive
Safety Review Board for Baseline 9.B1.0.0.1E. This allowed the Missile Defense
Agency to make a Technical Capability Declaration (TCD) for Aegis Ashore in
Romania. The TCD of the Aegis Ashore
site in Romania ensured the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) Phase 2
was completed on schedule.
In September
2009, the President announced the EPAA for missile defense to provide protection
sooner and more comprehensively. There
are three phases of the EPAA to be implemented through the remainder of this
decade. EPAA Phase 2 expands coverage
against short- and medium-range threats with the fielding of a land-based
missile defense site in Romania and the deployment of the Standard Missile-3
Block 1B.
“Naval
Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) is a standard bearer for
technical acumen, collaboration, and teamwork within the Department of Defense,”
wrote Rear Admiral Wolfe. “The team’s
success lays the groundwork for new capabilities for the Ballistic Missile
Defense System.”