Hypersonic Defense

Abstract

Strategic competitors and regional adversaries are heavily investing in offensive and defensive hypersonic capabilities, and currently have operational hypersonic strike and defensive 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 and defensive hypersonic missile inventories for both strategic and regional hypersonic missiles. Rogue nations have also demonstrated hypersonic missiles in recent flight tests. The Hypersonic Defense (HD) Program Element includes execution of the systems engineering activities, upgrade of existing systems, investment in new technologies, and development of new regional defensive capabilities and maturation for delivery in the 2030s. Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic Missile Defense strategy includes leveraging existing systems, delivering an initial regional layered defense capability, and increasing defense capabilities in the future. Activities enabling this strategy are the following: - Develop a regional Glide Phase Intercept capability to engage hypersonic threats during the glide phase of flight. The Preliminary Design Review (PDR) is planned for FY 2029, Critical Design Review (CDR) for FY 2032, and delivery in FY 2034. - Integrate existing and new overhead sensors like the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor to track and support intercepts to counter hypersonic threats - Update existing Ballistic Missile Defense System Overhead Architecture to use information from satellites to create tracks on hypersonic threats - Modify existing Aegis SPY radar, fire control, and communications, as well as Command & Control, Battle Management, and Communications for track and warning of hypersonic threats - Execute systems engineering for HD (architecture analysis, technology prioritization, requirements development, planning, analysis) - 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

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2024
Source ID
0604181C_4_0400_PB_2024
Change Summary Explanation
Project MD29: Hypersonic Defense: FY 2023 $292.5 million Congressional Add for Glide Phase Defeat weapons system. FY 2024 increase provides additional technology maturation to support the delivery of regional hypersonic glide phase defense capability.
Service Agency Name
Missile Defense Agency

Entities

Organizations

  • Missile Defense Agency

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Kinetic Weapons
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Battle Management
  • Cost Analysis
  • Defense Systems
  • Digital Engineering
  • Disruptive Technology
  • Hypersonic Missiles
  • Inertial Measurement Units
  • Life Cycles
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Product Development
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Warfare

Readers

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

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Space

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