Ballistic Missile Defense Midcourse Defense Segment

Abstract

The GMD is an Element of the Missile Defense System that provides combatant commands, including U.S. Northern Command, with a continuously available (24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year) capability to defend the Homeland against limited Intercontinental Ballistic Missile attacks. The GMD Element contributes to the Missile Defense System by acquiring, developing, demonstrating, deploying, and sustaining a midcourse weapon system for Homeland Ballistic Missile defense including: currently-deployed GMD capability; integration of the Next Generation Interceptor; improving Warfighter capabilities; and GMD SLEP to improve Warfighter confidence and utilization of the GMD Weapon System. The GMD capability consists of the Ground Based Interceptor, GFC, GMD Communication Network (GCN), IDT, and Ground Launch Support Systems (LSS). Each Ground Based Interceptor delivers a single kill vehicle to defeat threat warheads in space during the midcourse phase of the ballistic trajectory. The GFC consists of fire control nodes in Fort Greely, Alaska (FGA) and Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado. IDTs are currently located in FGA; Vandenberg Space Force Base, California (VSFB); Eareckson Air Station, Alaska; and Fort Drum, New York. LSS are currently located in FGA and VSFB. The GMD capability leverages integration of Missile Defense System sensors across the globe. GMD development program objectives include improve homeland defensive capability against an advancing threat that is increasing both in number of missiles and complexity; execute flight testing; modernize the GMD weapon system to enhance capability and increase reliability; provide fire control and communications; reliability testing of the current fleet; develop Ground Based Interceptor software enhancements and SLEP that improve reliability, capability, and discrimination; improve GMD Models and Simulations; and provide engineering support for participation in system tests with other Missile Defense System assets. The GMD Development Program also includes development of software and hardware to fully support the integration, testing and operational deployment of the Next Generation Interceptor and the Phased Array IDT.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2024
Source ID
0603882C_4_0400_PB_2024
Change Summary Explanation
Project: MD08 Ground Based Midcourse FY 2023 Congressional Add Total $33.2 million: - Ground-based interceptor Service life extension program ($33.2 million) FY 2023 Congressional Directed Reductions Total $10.706 million: - System engineering ($8.592 million) - Program operations growth ($2.114 million) Increase in FY 2024 provides for Missile Defense System Increment 10 development and increase for inflation impacts due to ongoing global events, and adjusted labor skill mix required to maintain program level integration efforts.
Service Agency Name
Missile Defense Agency

Entities

Organizations

  • Missile Defense Agency

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Engineered Resilient Systems (Alumni COI)
  • Kinetic Weapons
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Business Administration
  • Communication Systems
  • Configuration Management
  • Cyberattacks
  • Cybersecurity
  • Cyberspace Operations
  • Defense Systems
  • Information Systems
  • Logistics
  • Manufacturing
  • Software Development
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States
  • United States Northern Command
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites

Related Documents