NRI Integrated Air Defense System (Scutum)
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The Integrated Air Defense System (called Scutum) is the New Roman Imperium Ministry of Defense system designed to connect all aspects of the Roman military's air defense capabilities. This program was created in an attempt to make the New Roman Imperium an impenetrable shield. The Roman military was inspired by air defense systems such as Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System and Iron Dome. The Scutum system is operated by the Air Denial Unified Command, which is a unified combat command, and aggregates all data taken from air defense radars. Each radar system can talk to all missiles and provide updated tracking information, if required.
History and Technical Development
Origins
Program History and Development
Deployment
Army
The Republic Army operates a sizable air defense, dedicating an entire command to it. Their air defense capabilities range from close-in weapons systems (CIWS) to basic ballistic missile defense.
Close-in Weapons System
The Republic Army operates three CIWS systems: Terra Testudo, SPAD Mk. 2, and SPAAG Mk. 3. These systems provide short-range air defense capability.
Terra Testudo is the land based version of the Republic Navy's Testuso CIWS, which uses a 20mm rotary cannon system and short range surface to air missile. These systems are placed around sensitive areas and installations. The capital of Rome has an undisclosed number around the city. Additionally, all military bases have at least one of these systems. Being a close-in weapons system, Terra Testudo is considered the last line of defense, and is only effective against cruise missiles, helicopters, low flying fixed-wing aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicless. Many political circles think that if a nation relies on its CIWS, it has already lost.
The SPAD Mk. 2 is a self-propelled air defense system. This system provides mobile, short-range aair defense protection for ground units against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters. The system is an armored tracked vehicle designed to operate alongside armored units. Units where designed with two pods, each containing four missiles.
The SPAAG Mk. 3 is a self-propelled air defense system. This system provides mobile, short-range aair defense protection for ground units against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters. The system is an armored tracked vehicle designed to operate alongside armored units. Units have two 25mm rotary machine guns, one on each side of the turret.
Surface to Air Missiles
The Republic Army operates three surface-to-air missile platforms, which cover medium to long range air defense. The third platform also has capability to defend against short-range ballistic missiles. The platforms are MRAD Mk. 3, LRAD Mk. 2, and A/BMD Mk. 1.
The MRAD Mk. 3 is a self propelled tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile platform. It was designed with mobility in mind so attacking aircraft to quickly move after attacking an enemy aircraft. This also makes it easier for SAM locations to move and evade SEAD attacks. The MRAD Mk. 3 is primarily used against fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles. This system also requires a second vehicle to provide radar tracking.
The LRAD Mk. 2 is a semi-mobile long-range surface-to-air missile platform. This system is a transporter erector launcher (TEL) style platform. This platform is self-contained, meaning the guidance radar is built into the TEL itself. Though slower to breakdown and move, the LRAD Mk. 2 is also considered a "shoot-n-scoot" platform. This system is primarily used against fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles.
The A/BMD Mk. 1 is a semi-mobile long-range surface-to-air missile platform with ballistic missile defense capability. The missile system is carried on a trailer that the radar vehicle must tow and set up, making this system unable to "shoot-n-scoot". This system is primarily used against fixed-wing aircraft, cruise missiles, and short-range ballistic missiles.
Ballistic Missile Defense
The Republic Army operates one dedicated ballistic missile defense system. The BMD Mk. 1 is a heavy, long-range ballistic missile defense platform that is designed to intercept short-range, medium-range, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. It is unable to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles. These platforms are not very mobile, however, they have their locations changed occasionally. This system is considered "semi-mobile", and has an ease of mobility between the LRAD Mk. 2 and A/BMD Mk. 1.
The Republic Navy operates a number of air defense and ballistic missile defense weapons, along with radars for detection of threats. The shipborne radars are constantly connected via satellite to the Air Denial Unified Command operations building deep within the mountains of the Montibus region of the NRI. The land based facilities are connected via fiberoptic cable buried deep underground and run through Faraday Conduit.
Close-in Weapons System
The Republic Navy operates a singular close-in weapons system, Testudo. Testudo is a self-contained CIWS platform that uses a 20mm rotary cannon system and short range surface to air missile to shoot down incoming targets. The targets Testudo is designed to repel are cruise missiles, helicopters, low flying fixed-wing aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicless. It has also been used against small vessels, like those of pirates or FACs.
Surface to Air Missiles/Ballistic Missile Defense
The Republic Navy currently operates four types of missiles that are used for air and ballistic missile defense. These are the NADM Type 2 and BMD Missile 3 types I, II, and III.
NADM Type 2 is a medium range surface to air missile. This missile is able to hit targets at further ranges than the Testudo's missiles. This primarily is used against cruise missiles and fixed-wing aircraft. NADM Type 2s have the ability to be "quad-packed" in the Roman Vertical Launch System, allowing up to four NADMs to be carried in a single cell.
The BMD Missile 3 Type I is a dedicated ballistic missile defense missile. It is designed to counter short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. BMD Missile 3 Type II is able to counter medium- and intermediate range ballistic missiles. Finally, BMD Missile 3 Type III is able to counter intermediate and intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Type III also have the ability to operate as an anti-satellite weapon, having successfully been tested in such a role in 2008.
The Republic Navy also operates a series of land based ballistic missile defense facilities. These systems, called Terra SCUTUM, is the same radars used on the ships. These facilities are dotted around the coast of Terra Nostrum, with placement of several being strategically placed close to critical areas. The area around New Rome has no less than four of these facilities. The facilities come equipped with box launchers containing all three types of the BMD Missile 3.
Radars
SCUTUM is equipped on many vessels in the Republic Navy's inventory. The SCUTUM system is an advanced command and control and weapon control system that uses powerful computers and radars to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets. These same radars are built into the Terra SCUTUM ground facilities.
XBMD is a floating, self-propelled, mobile active electronically scanned array early-warning radar station designed to operate in high winds and heavy seas. There are seven of these stations positioned around Terra Nostrum, and provide missile warning. The stations were adapted from oil drilling platforms purchased from a United Remnant of America company. They are equipped with an advanced X-band radar dome.
Air Force
The Republic Air Force is critical to the air defense of the NRI. The fighter aircraft form the first line of defense against hostile aircraft. In an ideal invasion scenario, the Republic Air Force will win air superiority, and the Republic Army's and Republic Navy's air defenses will never need to be used.
Radars and Communications AWACS (Air Force) E-7 (command and control/BACN) (Air Force) EC-1 (radar jamming/PSYOP) (Air Force) EC-3 (TACAMO) (Air Force) E-8 (ISTAR) (Air Force)
Space Force
Land based Phased array radar stations (Space Force – also used for tracking space objects) Missile launch detection satellites (Space Force) Communications satellites (Space Force)
GBMD – equiv GBMD (Space Force) BMD; ICBM Stationed in silos
Cyber Corps
cyber defense - hardening systems, preventing breaches, ensuring cybersecurity ground bases connected via fiber in faraday-conduit
Political Debate
Scutum has created a lot of debate in political circles. Proponents of the system say that it is necessary to ensuring that the NRI can survive any exterior threat from the air or space. Detractors say it is a lot of money being spent on a system that will most likely never need to be used. No nation has attacked Terra Nostrum, and most likely, the NRI mainland will never be directly attacked. Despite that, the current thinking in the New Roman Armed Forces is that it is better to have this system and not need it, then need it and not have it.