Ballistic Missile Defense Technology

Abstract

The Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Technology Program Element develops future Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) capabilities to out-pace emerging and evolving threats. Advanced Technology is the program execution arm of MDA's Architecture and Engineering thrusts. Advanced Technology identifies, develops, and readies for transition in association with the Chief Architect and the Director of Engineering the technical solutions that meet BMDS shortfalls identified by the Combatant Commanders. Advanced technology maintains a robust modeling and simulation environment to ensure emerging technology cost-effectively increases performance when inserted into the BMDS architecture. MDA uses the Prioritized Capabilities List (PCL) and the Agency's Achievable Capabilities List (ACL) to prioritize Advanced Technology investments within six focus areas: 1) Advanced Concepts and Performance Assessment, 2) Discrimination Sensor Technology, 3) Weapons Technology, 4) Advanced C4ISR, 5) Advanced Research, and 6) Common Kill Vehicle. MDA's investments balance the pursuit of promising next generation technology with near-term solutions to enhance existing BMDS capability. 1. The Advanced Concepts & Performance Assessment focus area centralizes efforts for the development of models, simulations, algorithms, and software. This area leverages industry standard model-based development techniques to give engineers the data to decompose system requirements allocated from MDA's System Engineer, perform trade studies, and complete performance assessments. Subject matter experts integrate physics-based models into simulations to evaluate performance of components and system-level assemblies. This focus area combines models of promising technical solutions into BMDS system-level simulations. This model-based approach reduces risks and costs associated with successful development, demonstration, and implementation of BMDS technology initiatives. Ultimately, BMD Technology's model-based program supplies the warfighter with confidence that future architectures will meet their needs. 2. The Discrimination Sensor Technology focus area matures technologies with proven tactical applications and applies those technologies plus emerging technologies to the missile defense mission area. Discrimination Sensor Technology develops solutions to improve identifying, acquiring, tracking and discriminating incoming threats, specifically addressing shortfalls in the Prioritized Capabilities List. Areas of concentration include advanced detectors, infrared sensors, focal planes and algorithms for passive and active ground, sea, air and space systems. Sensor technology enhances the BMDS capability to discriminate increasing numbers of objects by an order of magnitude and precisely identify the threat. This technology has the potential to significantly enhance/enable the following capabilities while decreasing the cost of the BMDS: - Discriminating BMDS sensors with global persistence - Discriminating weapon sensors - End-to-end correlation of sensor track and discrimination data - Timely and accurate kill assessment - Enhanced probability of kill 3. Weapons Technology develops technology solutions to destroy an increasing number of threat objects. Areas of concentration include next-generation kinetic interceptor technology, and directed energy intercept. Weapons Technology focuses on reducing the cost of intercepting a threat object by developing smaller, faster, less-complex interceptors, developing light-weight/high power lasers and the novel beam propagation technology required for strategic-class directed energy weapons. Weapons technology works closely with Sensor Technology to correlate threat identification and engagement hand over requirements and capability. This area will also enable more agile, higher velocity interceptors that leverage our discrimination technology advances to defeat greater raid sizes and increasingly complex threats. This focus area is developing the enabling technology necessary to make game-changing breakthroughs with future interceptors. 4. Advanced Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) develops and matures technology which enables rapid and exponential capability increases in our command, control, battle management and communications (C2BMC) and existing sensor networks. We will develop and mature technology, software and algorithms which facilitate integration of the Service's command and control networks into the BMDS. This focus area will invest in advanced C2BMC technology that has the potential to increase battlespace for all BMDS interceptors including the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and Ground-based Interceptors. 5. Advanced Research conducts leading edge research and development to create and enable future missile defense capability. MDA executes this mission by capitalizing on the creativity and innovation of the brightest minds in our Nation's universities and small businesses, collaborative research partnerships between allied country academic institutions, and innovative ideas from industry. Advanced Research identifies priorities and balances the research portfolio in collaboration with the Agency's Chief Architect, Chief Engineer, and an Agency-wide executive level Research Council. 6. Common Kill Vehicle develops technology that supports both the Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) and Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) variants, focusing in particular on the ability to address future threat technology advancements, where component technology and architecture can contribute both to homeland and regional defense. The component technology and architecture also has the potential to increase the capability of all missile defense interceptors. By progressing with the common kill vehicle, development of the next generation of deployable and upgradeable kill vehicles, can begin for both the GBI and Standard Missile-3 variants, as soon as the technology is tested. MD40 Program-Wide Support (PWS) consists of essential non-headquarters management costs in support of the MDA functions and activities across the entire Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS).

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2014
Source ID
0603175C_3_0400_PB_2014
Change Summary Explanation
The FY 2014 increase in this Program Element is the net result of the addition of both the Advanced Remote Sensor Technology Program Element (0604886C) and the Directed Energy Research Program Element (0603901C) as well as the transfer of a portion of the funding for Enhanced Command, Control, Battle Management and Communication, to the Ballistic Missile Defense Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications to Program Element 0603896C (Budget Project MD01). The increase also represents the move of funds for increased discrimination sensor technology development, and Advanced Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. Additionally, the Missile Defense Agency is developing Common Kill Vehicle Technology (Budget Project MD85).
Service Agency Name
Missile Defense Agency

Entities

Organizations

  • Missile Defense Agency

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Sensors
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Battle Management
  • Command And Control
  • Defense Systems
  • Detectors
  • Directed Energy Weapons
  • Kill Vehicles
  • Law
  • National Security
  • Procurement
  • Reliability
  • Sensor Networks
  • Standards
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Warning Systems
  • Weapons

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
  • Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
  • Space

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