Ground-Based Midcourse Defense
Encyclopedia
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) is the United States
system for intercepting incoming warheads in space. Currently, it is a major component of the U.S. national missile defense
strategy aimed against ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). GMD is administered by the US Missile Defense Agency
(MDA), while the operational control and execution is provided by the US Army, and support functions are provided by the US Air Force. Previously known as National Missile Defense (NMD), the name was changed in 2002 to differentiate it from other U.S. missile defense
programs, such as space-based and sea-based intercept programs, or defense targeting the boost phase and the reentry phase (see flight phases).
is the Prime Contractor of the program, tasked to oversee and integrate systems from other major defense sub-contractors, such as Computer Sciences Corporation
. The key systems of the GMD system are:
Interceptor sites are at Fort Greely
, Alaska
and Vandenberg Air Force Base
, California
; a third site was planned for a proposed US missile defense complex in Poland
, but was canceled in September 2009. A description of the program can be found in the Missile Defense Agency Budget Item Justification document, dated February 2007.
In December 2008, the US Missile Defense Agency awarded Boeing a $397.9 million contract to continue development of the program.
(GAO) estimates the contract will exceed its target cost by US$1.5 billion.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
system for intercepting incoming warheads in space. Currently, it is a major component of the U.S. national missile defense
National Missile Defense
National missile defense is a generic term for a type of missile defense intended to shield an entire country against incoming missiles, such as intercontinental ballistic missile or other ballistic missiles. Interception might be by anti-ballistic missiles or directed-energy weapons such as lasers...
strategy aimed against ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). GMD is administered by the US Missile Defense Agency
Missile Defense Agency
The Missile Defense Agency is the section of the United States government's Department of Defense responsible for developing a layered defense against ballistic missiles. The agency has its origins in the Strategic Defense Initiative, which was established in 1983 and was headed by Lt...
(MDA), while the operational control and execution is provided by the US Army, and support functions are provided by the US Air Force. Previously known as National Missile Defense (NMD), the name was changed in 2002 to differentiate it from other U.S. missile defense
Missile defense
Missile defense is a system, weapon, or technology involved in the detection, tracking, interception and destruction of attacking missiles. Originally conceived as a defence against nuclear-armed Intercontinental ballistic missiles , its application has broadened to include shorter-ranged...
programs, such as space-based and sea-based intercept programs, or defense targeting the boost phase and the reentry phase (see flight phases).
Description
The system consists of ground-based interceptor missiles and radar which would intercept incoming warheads in space. Boeing Integrated Defense SystemsBoeing Integrated Defense Systems
Boeing Defense, Space & Security formerly known as Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a unit of The Boeing Company responsible for defense and aerospace products and services. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems was formed in 2002 by combining the former "Military Aircraft and Missile Systems"...
is the Prime Contractor of the program, tasked to oversee and integrate systems from other major defense sub-contractors, such as Computer Sciences Corporation
Computer Sciences Corporation
Computer Sciences Corporation is an American information technology and business services company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, USA...
. The key systems of the GMD system are:
- Exoatmospheric Kill VehicleExoatmospheric Kill VehicleExoatmospheric Kill Vehicle can refer to two related missile defense concepts:* Most common: the Raytheon-manufactured interceptor component with subcontractor Aerojet of the U.S...
(EKV) — RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007... - Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) — Orbital Sciences; for every interceptor missile there is a missile silo and a Silo Interface Vault (SIV), which is an underground electronics room adjacent to the silo.
- Battle Management Command, Control and Communications (BMC3) — Northrop GrummanNorthrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
- Ground Based Radars (GBR) — RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
- Upgraded Early Warning Radars (UEWR) (aka PAVE PAWSPAVE PAWSPAVE PAWS is a United States Air Force Space Command radar system operated by three 21st Space Wing squadrons for missile warning and space surveillance. Operational PAVE PAWS radars are located at:...
) — RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007... - Forward Based X-Band Radars (FBXB) such as the Sea based X bandSea-based X-band RadarSea-Based X-Band Radar is a floating, self-propelled, mobile radar station designed to operate in high winds and heavy seas. It is part of the U.S. Defense Department Ballistic Missile Defense System....
platform — RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
Fort Greely
Fort Greely is a United States Army launch site for anti-ballistic missiles located approximately 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. It is also the home of the Cold Regions Test Center , as Fort Greely is one of the coldest areas in Alaska, and can accommodate cold, extreme cold, or...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; a third site was planned for a proposed US missile defense complex in Poland
US missile defense complex in Poland
The US missile defense complex in Poland, also called the European Interceptor Site was part of the Ballistic Missile Defense European Capability of the US, to be placed in Redzikowo, Słupsk, Poland, forming a Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system in conjunction with a US narrow-beam midcourse...
, but was canceled in September 2009. A description of the program can be found in the Missile Defense Agency Budget Item Justification document, dated February 2007.
In December 2008, the US Missile Defense Agency awarded Boeing a $397.9 million contract to continue development of the program.
Flight tests
- BV: Booster Verification Test
- CMCM: Critical Measurements and Countermeasures
- FTG: Flight Test Ground-Based Interceptor
- FTX: Field Training Exercise
- IFT: Integrated Flight Test
Intercept tests
As of December 2010, 8 of the 16 (50%) hit-to-kill intercept tests have succeeded.| Name | Date | Result | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| IFT-3 | Success | This was an element test of the EKV that relied on a surrogate booster vehicle. Because the Inertial Measurement Unit malfunctioned, the EKV used a backup acquisition mode to acquire the target. | |
| IFT-4 | Failure | This was the first end-to-end system test, again relying on a surrogate booster vehicle. The test was designed to target a mock warhead, transmitting its location by GPS Global Positioning System The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites... , and ignore a single large decoy balloon. The failure to intercept was traced to an obstructed cooling line on the EKV that disrupted the IR sensors' ability to cool down to their operating temperatures in time, leaving the EKV unable to detect its target. |
|
| IFT-5 | Failure | This was the second end-to-end system test. The test was designed to target a mock warhead, transmitting its location by C-band C band The C band is a name given to certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including wavelengths of microwaves that are used for long-distance radio telecommunications. The IEEE C-band - and its slight variations - contains frequency ranges that are used for many satellite communications... , and ignore a single large decoy balloon. The failure to intercept occurred because the EKV did not separate from the boost vehicle due to an apparent failure of the 1553 data bus in the booster. |
|
| IFT-6 | Success | This test repeated IFT-5. The prototype X-Band radar falsely reported a missed target but was confirmed by a satellite, jet, and ground stations. | |
| IFT-7 | Success | This test repeated IFT-6 except that the target booster used Orbital’s Target Launch Vehicle instead of Lockheed Martin’s Multi-Service Launch System. | |
| IFT-8 | Success | The test was designed to target a mock warhead, transmitting its location by C-band C band The C band is a name given to certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including wavelengths of microwaves that are used for long-distance radio telecommunications. The IEEE C-band - and its slight variations - contains frequency ranges that are used for many satellite communications... , and ignore both a large decoy balloon and two small decoy balloons. |
|
| IFT-9 | Success | Twice delayed from August, this was the first test to use the Aegis SPY-1 radar AN/SPY-1 The AN/SPY-1 is a US naval radar system manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The array is a passive electronically scanned system and is a key component of the Aegis Combat System. The system is computer controlled, using four complementary antennas to provide 360 degree coverage... , although it was not used to achieve the intercept. After the classification of decoys since May 2002, no information is known on their details. |
|
| IFT-10 | Failure | The failure to intercept occurred because the EKV did not separate from the boost vehicle because a pin broke that should have activated a laser to release the boost vehicle’s restraining units. | |
| IFT-13C | Failure | Delayed several times from December 2003 due to bad circuitry, this test was designed to use the Orbital Sciences booster from Kwajalein to hit a target from Kodiak, Alaska. The target flew as planned but the booster failed to leave the ground. The failure was traced to a software problem on the 1553 communications data bus, which may be incapable of processing messages at a rate that is fast enough for the GMD system to work effectively. | |
| IFT-14 | Failure | This test repeated IFT-13C, with a booster from Kwajalein designed to hit a target from Kodiak, Alaska. Again, the target flew as planned but the booster failed to leave the ground. The failure was traced to the arms that hold the interceptor up in the silo. When they failed to fully retract, the launch was automatically aborted. | |
| FTG-02 | Success | This test involved the first ground-based interceptor launched out of Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... to intercept a "threat-representative" target from Kodiak, Alaska. This was the first time that operational radar was used to capture targeting information. Not officially an intercept test, this was originally designed to collect data on the phenomenology of the intercept and act as a radar certification test. No decoys were used. |
|
| FTG-03 | Failure | With the same setup as FTG-02, the test target flew off-course and an intercept did not occur. | |
| FTG-03A | Success | This test was scheduled in response to the failure of FTG-03, this time with a successful intercept. | |
| FTG-05 | Success | This test launched a threat-representative mock warhead from the Kodiak Launch Complex, Alaska followed by a Ground-Based Interceptor from Vandenberg AFB. All components performed as designed. | |
| FTG-06 | Failure | This test was to be the first to assess both a CE-II EKV and a complex target scene and the first test to use a newly developed FTF LV-2 target. While the target missile and interceptor launched and performed nominally, the Sea Based X-Band Radar did not perform as expected, and an investigation will explain the failure to intercept. | |
| FTG-06A | Failure | This test was similarly designed to FTG-06, over an increased distance of 4,200 miles. While the Sea Based X-Band radar and all sensors performed as planned, the test was unable to achieve a planned intercept of a ballistic missile target. |
Non-intercept tests
| Name | Date | Result | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| IFT-1A | Success | This test allowed the program to assess an EKV seeker built by Boeing to collect target phenomenological data and evaluate target modeling and discrimination algorithms for a cluster of 10 objects. Boeing was not awarded the EKV contract as a result. | |
| IFT-2 | Success | This test allowed the program to assess an EKV seeker built by Raytheon to collect target phenomenological data, and evaluate target modeling and discrimination algorithms for a cluster of 10 objects. Raytheon was awarded the EKV contract as a result. | |
| BV-1 | Success | This was a ground test to certify the procedures that lead to an actual flight test, including all ground and safety checks as well as launch and safety steps. The missile was not launched. | |
| BV-2 | Success | This was a flight test of three-stage Boeing Booster Vehicle with a mass-simulated kill vehicle payload. An anomaly occurred in the first stage vehicle roll control, but the second and third stage motors performed normally. | |
| BV-3 | Failure | This flight test of the Boeing Booster Vehicle resulted in failure when it steered off course 30 seconds after launch and was then ordered to self-destruct off the coast of California. | |
| BV-6 | Success | This was a flight test of the three-stage Orbital Sciences Booster Vehicle with a mass-simulated kill vehicle payload. The launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base proceeded normally over the Pacific Ocean. | |
| BV-5 | Failure | This flight test of the Lockheed Martin Booster Vehicle with a mass-simulated kill vehicle payload resulted in failure due to an apparent power drop that prevented the mock EKV from separating from the booster. The flight was originally delayed by the third-stage rocket motor’s circuit boards. | |
| IFT-13B | Success | This was a system-level test of the Orbital Sciences booster carrying a simulated EKV from Kwajalein Kwajalein Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S... Atoll against a simulated target from Vandenberg AFB Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... in California. |
|
| Medium-range air-launch target | Success | This test featured a C-17 C-17 Globemaster III The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout... dropping a medium-range target from its rear, 800 miles (1,287.5 km) northwest of the Pacific Missile Range Facility Pacific Missile Range Facility The Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands is a U.S. Naval facility and airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Kekaha, in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States.... in Hawaii. |
|
| CMCM-1A/FT 04-2A | Success | This test was the first of two medium-range target vehicles. | |
| CMCM-1B/FT 04-2B | Success | This test was the second of two medium-range target vehicles. | |
| FT 04-5/FTG 04-5 | Success | This test was an apparent variant of IFT-19 and featured an air-launched long-range target tracked by Cobra Dane Cobra Dane The AN/FPS-108 COBRA DANE radar is an active electronically scanned array installation operated by the United States Air Force at Eareckson Air Station on the island of Shemya, Alaska. This radar system was built in 1976 and brought on-line in 1977 for the primary mission of intelligence gathering... radar. |
|
| FT-1 | Success | Originally designed as IFT-13A, this test featured an interceptor missile from the Ronald Reagan test site in the Marshall Islands to hit a target from Kodiak, Alaska. The operationally configured warhead and its booster left the ground successfully. | |
| FTX-01/FT 04-1 | Success | Originally designed as IFT-16, then changed to a radar characterization flight test as IFT-16A, then FT 04-1, then FTX-01. This test incorporated radar and targets testing. | |
| CMCM-2B/FTC-02B | Success | This test was a radar certification flight and featured a missile system powered by a two-stage SR-19 rocket flown from the Kauai Test Facility in the Pacific Missile Range Facility Pacific Missile Range Facility The Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands is a U.S. Naval facility and airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Kekaha, in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States.... . The payload included complex countermeasures, a mock reentry vehicle, and on-board sensor package. |
|
| CMCM-2A/FTC-02A | Success | This test repeated FTC-02B to test its radars in the Pacific Missile Range Facility Pacific Missile Range Facility The Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands is a U.S. Naval facility and airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Kekaha, in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States.... in Hawaii against a target missile that carried countermeasures, a mock warhead, and an on-board sensor package. |
|
| FTX-02 | Mixed | This test of the Sea-Based X-Band Radar Sea-based X-band Radar Sea-Based X-Band Radar is a floating, self-propelled, mobile radar station designed to operate in high winds and heavy seas. It is part of the U.S. Defense Department Ballistic Missile Defense System.... revealed "anomalous behavior", and demonstrated a need for software modifications to improve performance. |
|
| FTX-03 | Success | This test demonstrated the integration of missile defense sensors to support an interceptor engagement. This revealed the success of the Sea-Based X-Band Radar to be used in future missions. | |
| BVT-01 | Success | A two-stage Ground-Based Interceptor successfully launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, and after separating from the second-stage booster, the exoatmospheric kill vehicle executed a variety of maneuvers to collect data to further prove its performance in space. All components performed as designed. |
Canceled tests
Throughout the program's history, numerous test flights have been canceled. Among them, BV-4, IFT-11, -12, -13, -13A, -15, FTC-03, and most recently, FTG-04, have been canceled. The pattern of canceled tests makes it difficult to determine actual project progress.Program costs
Expenditures on the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense program have been estimated at US$30.7 billion. The Government Accountability OfficeGovernment Accountability Office
The Government Accountability Office is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress. It is located in the legislative branch of the United States government.-History:...
(GAO) estimates the contract will exceed its target cost by US$1.5 billion.