The Network Centric Airborne Defense Element (NCADE) is an anti-ballistic missile

Anti-ballistic missile

An anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...

 system being developed by Raytheon

Raytheon

Raytheon 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...

 for the 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...

. On Sept. 18, 2008 Raytheon announced it had been awarded a $10 million contract to continue NCADE research and development. The NCADE system is a boost phase interceptor based heavily on the AIM-120 AMRAAM

AIM-120 AMRAAM

The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget...

, with the AMRAAM fragmentation warhead replaced by a hit-to-kill vehicle powered by a hydroxylammonium nitrate

Hydroxylammonium nitrate

Hydroxylammonium nitrate or hydroxylamine nitrate is an energetic chemical with the chemical formula NH3OHNO3. It is the salt of hydroxylamine and nitric acid. It is related to ammonium nitrate, but has a higher oxygen content...

 monopropellant rocket motor from Aerojet

Aerojet

Aerojet is an American rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer based primarily in Rancho Cordova, California with divisions in Redmond, Washington, Orange, Gainesville and Camden, Arkansas. Aerojet is owned by GenCorp. They are the only US propulsion company that provides both solid rocket...

.

The launch vehicle will be a Boeing F-15C Golden Eagle with an AESA radar.