Henrico Times

Congressman Rob Wittman and Congressman Donald Norcross have written a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, urging the Army to support Guam's cruise missile defense in response to the Chinese Communist Party's increasing military aggression in the Indo-Pacific region. The lawmakers, who hold key positions in the House Armed Services Committee, emphasize the need to secure the defense of Guam for the years to come.

In their letter, Wittman and Norcross highlight the existing gaps in the United States' land-based missile defense capabilities, particularly when countering drones, artillery rockets, and cruise missiles. They draw attention to the DoD Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2023 Annual Report to Congress, which raises concerns about the need to close this gap with a credible deterrent against the increasingly capable PRC Rocket Forces.

The lawmakers acknowledge that the Army has taken some steps to establish an interim cruise missile defense capability, including awarding a contract for two Iron Dome batteries. However, they stress the importance of accelerating the overall development of a land-based cruise missile defense capability, specifically in relation to the joint architecture being developed for the Defense of Guam.

To address these concerns, the Army has been developing an Enduring Cruise Missile Defense System called Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2. This program aims to integrate a launcher and interceptor leveraging the Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense (AIAMD) open systems architecture, the IAMD Battle Command System (IBCS) as the Fire Control component, and the Sentinel sensor. Initial system procurements are scheduled to start in fiscal year 2024, with full operational capability expected in 2030.

However, Wittman and Norcross express concerns about potential delays in the operational assessment of the launcher prototype, which could impact the fielding timeline. They seek clarification on the Army's plans for fielding IFPC Inc 2 and the expected receipt dates for launcher and interceptor prototypes. Additionally, they inquire about the integration timeline of IFPC Inc 2 with IBCS and Sentinel sensor, the requirements and cost targets for the second interceptor program, and the Army's plan to provide adequate cruise missile defenses for Guam before IFPC Inc 2 becomes fully operational.

The lawmakers also raise questions about the effectiveness of the AIM-9X and TAMIR missiles in addressing adversary cruise missile threats, particularly those expected in the defense of Guam. They are keen to understand how partners and allies will be integrated into the Guam air defense architecture.

Wittman and Norcross conclude their letter by expressing appreciation for Secretary Wormuth's support in improving the Army's contributions to Guam's cruise missile defense architecture. They emphasize the importance of developing a credible and capable missile defense system to counter the aggressive posture of the People's Republic of China in the INDOPACOM area.

To learn more, click on this link: https://wittman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5348