Hypersonic Defense

Abstract

Strategic competitors and regional adversaries are heavily investing in offensive and defensive hypersonic capabilities, and currently have operational hypersonic systems deployed. These are challenging realities of the emerging missile threat environment that U.S. missile defense policy, strategy, and capabilities must address. These competitors continue to expand the capability and capacity of their offensive hypersonic missile inventories for both strategic and regional hypersonic missiles. Rogue nations have also demonstrated hypersonic missiles in recent flight tests. The regional Hypersonic Defense (HD) Program Element (PE) includes execution of the systems engineering activities, upgrade of existing systems, investment in new technologies, and development of new defensive capabilities for delivery in the 2030s. MDA's Hypersonic Missile Defense (HMD) strategy includes leveraging existing systems, delivering an initial layered defense capability, and increasing defense capabilities in the future. Activities enabling this strategy are the following: - Integrate existing and new overhead sensors like the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) - Update existing Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) Overhead Architecture (BOA) - Modify existing Aegis SPY radar, fire control, and communications, as well as Command & Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) for track and warning of hypersonic threats - Execute systems engineering for HD (architecture analysis, technology prioritization, requirements development, planning, analysis and capability development) - Develop a regional Glide Phase Intercept (GPI) operational prototype to engage hypersonic threats during the glide phase of flight - Mature critical technologies and mitigate key technical risks including testing in relevant environments prior to selecting a final concept - Partner with the Services and other agencies to leverage work on common technologies, test infrastructure, weapon development, testing, and war-gaming - Partner with Allies where possible - Demonstrate the regional defensive capability and performance against hypersonic threats through system testing

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2023
Source ID
0604181C_4_0400_PB_2023
Change Summary Explanation
Increase of $ 39.8 million in FY 2022 provides Congressional Plus-up for partnered flight test participation, engineering enablers and disruptive technologies for future architectures. FY 2023 funding increase reflects the fact that the FY 2022 President's Budget request did not include out-year funding.
Service Agency Name
Missile Defense Agency

Entities

Organizations

  • Missile Defense Agency

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Battle Management
  • Command And Control
  • Cost Analysis
  • Defense Systems
  • Digital Engineering
  • Disruptive Technology
  • Energy Management
  • Engineering
  • Focal Plane Arrays
  • Focal Planes
  • Hypersonic Missiles
  • Mathematics
  • Product Development
  • Systems Engineering
  • Terminal Defense
  • Test And Evaluation

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Strategic Security Studies

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Space

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