Ship Self Defense System

Definition/Scope: (USN) The Ship Self Defense System (SSDS) utilizes the SLQ-32 system, the NATO Sea Sparrow Missile Systems and the Rolling Airframe (RAM) Block 1 missile, and is designed to defend against anti-ship missile and aircraft attack in the cluttered littoral conflict environment where reaction times are exceedingly short. The SSDS system correlates sensor information, assesses own-ship defense readiness and recommends optimal tactical defense responses. With enhanced target tracking, SSDS expedites the assignment of weapons for manual threat engagements and provides operators with a ’recommend engage’ solution. When operating in the automatic mode, the SSDS will coordinate both soft and hard kill employment. Constructed of commercial off-the-shelf equipment, including a fiber-optic local area network and distributed processors, SSDS MK 2, Mod 1 is the latest step in support of carrier and big deck amphibious.

Acronym:

SSDS

Broader Terms:

Force Protection
hard-kill
US Navy

Narrower Terms:

antiship missile
antiship missile defense
littoral
Quick Reaction Combat Capability
RIM-7 Sea Sparrow
soft-kill

Related Terms:

targeting