In less than 10 sec., every point on the face of the Earth is imaged by the U.S. Air Force’s newest infrared (IR) missile warning satellite system. The message from the operators of the new Space-Based Infrared System (Sbirs) at the 460th Space Wing at Buckley AFB, Colorado, is that missile or space launches cannot happen anywhere on Earth—or over it—without their knowing. With Sbirs, they can detect a launch faster than ever, more accurately identify the missile type, more precisely calculate its burnout velocity and trajectory (state vector) and more exactly determine an impact point.
The Air Force has not disclosed the system’s precise capabilities. In part, this is due to security concerns. Sbirs, along with its less capable Defense Support Program (DSP) predecessor, is the first cue system for the Pentagon’s entire ballistic missile defense architecture that protects the nation and U.S. forces abroad. It employs the sensors that would first detect a ballistic missile launch from North Korea, Iran, Russia, China or other potential aggressors. Sbirs is also responsible for “tipping” off other assets—such as ground- and ship-based radars—to detect a missile before engaging with an interceptor or warning soldiers to take cover.
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