Nulka Programme nears major milestone
The award winning Nulka defence system will achieve another major milestone in 2010 with the delivery of the 1 000th production round.
Prime contractor BAE Systems today confirmed that the Nulka active missile decoy had now been fitted to more than 130 warships providing each vessel with a highly effective all-weather defence against anti-ship missiles.
The system is the result of more than three decades of collaborative development between Australia and the US, and brings together hovering rocket, autonomous system and electronic technologies to seduce enemy missiles away from their target.
Peter Osbourne, BAE Systems Export Manager, said today that although Nulka had been in service with the Royal Australian, US and Canadian Navies for more than a decade, it remained the most effective soft-kill system available.
“Nulka was a revolutionary concept when first conceived, and remains a unique technical approach to countering modern anti-ship missiles,” Mr Osbourne said.
“The design challenges involved in developing a rocket able to balance on its own thrust were considerable. The enduring effectiveness of Nulka against the new generation of faster, more agile anti-ship missiles however, amply demonstrates the value of this approach.
“In oceans around the globe, Australian, US and Canadian navies rely on BAE Systems Australia’s Nulka technology to protect their warships.”
Mr Osbourne said the system would also be fitted to Australia’s new Air Warfare Destroyers.
Designed to be used as part of a multi-layered defence system or for stand-alone ship protection Nulka is Australia’s largest regular defence export, with annual sales of more than AUD $40 million.
Source: BAE Systems
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![Wave Relay devices cleared for security use on commercial systems in industry trend]()
Wave Relay devices cleared for security use on commercial systems in industry trend
Persistent Systems has been cleared by National Security Agency (NSA) to transmit sensitive data on commercial networks. The devices are added to the NSA’s Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) component list which also includes other companies’ products providing the same security.
-
![UK teases cyber spending boost in Strategic Defence Review ahead of “imminent” release]()
UK teases cyber spending boost in Strategic Defence Review ahead of “imminent” release
The release of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) has been long promised as mid-year. It is possible it could be as early as 2 June although the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to play its cards close to its chest.
-
![Intelsat emphasises SATCOM resilience for SOF in contested domains (video)]()
Intelsat emphasises SATCOM resilience for SOF in contested domains (video)
Intelsat outlines how its multi-orbit SATCOM architecture is enhancing connectivity and resilience for special operations forces operating in degraded and contested environments.
-
![US Space Force’s next-generation missile warning system moves forward with $500 million in new contracts]()
US Space Force’s next-generation missile warning system moves forward with $500 million in new contracts
Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) satellites are intended to provide early warning of missile launches from any location worldwide and new ground stations will result in expanded coverage of critical missile warning.
-
![Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces]()
Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces
Airbus was awarded the Composante Spatiale Optique (CSO) contract at the end of 2010. This included an option for a third satellite, which was activated after Germany joined the programme in 2015.
-
![Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)]()
Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)
In today’s contested operational environment, adaptability is key. The new Geospatial-Intelligence as a Service (GEO IaaS) solution from Fujitsu and MAIAR empowers militaries by enabling intelligence advantage, combining advanced technology with human expertise to deliver actionable insights.
