On 15 April 2024 US the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) selected Lockheed Martin to deliver the United States’ new homeland missile defence capability in the form of the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), Lockheed Martin announced on the same day.
As the MDA’s NGI prime contractor, Lockheed Martin will provide “the most modern, reliable, and technically advanced interceptor in the history of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system” the company stated in a press release. The multiple-kill vehicle interceptor is designed to protect the US homeland against long-range ballistic missile threats from rogue nations.
“Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with the MDA on a revolutionary interceptor to advance our nation’s security,” Sarah Hiza, vice president and general manager of Strategic and Missile Defense at Lockheed Martin, was quoted as saying. “We are committed to delivering reliable interceptors that will seamlessly integrate with the GMD system and can rapidly evolve with the threat,” Hiza added.
The NGI programme is currently continuing on its path to a critical design review, integration with the broader GMD system and flight testing.
Lockheed Martin says that, for NGI, it is “leveraging investments in kill vehicle technology, combat-proven exo-atmospheric threat intercept experience, and nearly seven decades providing the nation with strategic missile systems”.
The company noted that it recently opened new facilities built for the homeland missile defence mission in Huntsville, Alabama, with additional facilities currently under construction in Courtland, Alabama.
The GMD system employs integrated communications networks, fire control systems, globally deployed sensors and ground-based interceptors (GBIs) that are capable of detecting, tracking and destroying ballistic missile threats during the midcourse phase of their ballistic trajectory. GBIs are currently emplaced at Fort Greely in Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB) in California. A total of 44 interceptors are currently emplaced: 40 at Fort Greely and four at Vandenberg AFB.
