MEADS is a mobile air defense system designed to replace Patriot systems in the United States and Germany and Nike Hercules systems in Italy. It also meets the requirements of Germany's capabilities-oriented air defense concept.

System design work for the tri-national program is performed in Orland, Fla., Munich, Germany; Rome, Italy; Dallas, TX; Huntsville, AL; and Syracuse, NY. The United States funds 58 percent of the MEADS program, and European partners Germany and Italy provide 25 percent and 17 percent, respectively.

The MEADS program is managed by its president, Jim Cravens, from Lockheed Martin; executive vice president Axel Widera from the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS); and Lenkflugkorpersysteme (LFK) in Germany and its technical director Pietro Ragonese from MBDA Italia in Italy.

Volker Weidemann from EADS/LFK has been named director of the Systems Engineering and Integration Team (SEIT). Weidemann, a retired officer in the German air force, has 15 years of engineering management and air defense experience.

On May 31, MI signed a contract with NAMEADSMA, a charter organization of NATO to design and develop the next-generation air and missile defense system for Germany, Italy and the United States. The contract is valued at $3.4 billion for the program's nine-year design and development (D&D) phase.

MEADS is intended to provide capabilities beyond any other fielded or planned air and missile defense system. The program is intended to be easily deployed to a theater of operations and, once there, to keep pace with fast-moving maneuver forces.

When completed, MEADS will be the only air defense system able to roll off tactical transports with ground troops and almost immediately begin operations. The program is intended to provide greater firepower with less manpower than current systems, producing dramatic operation and support cost savings.

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