The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is to proceed with Northrop Grumman in working on a Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) programme, the company announced on 25 September 2024.
The programme’s aim is to develop a first-of-its-kind defensive countermeasure against hypersonic missile threats.
Working in close partnership with the MDA, Northrop Grumman will initiate a three-year developmental effort to produce a purpose-built, innovative design capable of defeating existing and emerging hypersonic threats.
During this next phase of development, Northrop Grumman will:
- continue to refine the preliminary design of the GPI, which will be fired from the US Navy’s Aegis ballistic missile defence (BMD) destroyers and Aegis Ashore BMD installations using the standard Vertical Launch System;
- demonstrate system performance in hypersonic environments prior to conducting its Preliminary Design Review;
- complete flight experiments ahead of schedule, leveraging the company’s own flight-proven systems;
- and use digital engineering practices to connect the entire GPI programme to accelerate design processes and develop interceptor capabilities faster and more efficiently.
Northrop Grumman’s design includes advanced technologies, such as a seeker for threat tracking and hit-to-kill accuracy, a re-ignitable upper-stage engine used for threat containment and a dual-engagement mode to engage threats across a wide range of altitudes.
Northrop Grumman will work closely with the US Department of Defense in support of its role under the GPI Cooperative Development programme with the Japanese Ministry of Defense to deliver interceptors to the MDA.
Wendy Williams, Northrop Grumman’s vice president and general manager for launch and missile defence systems, was quoted by the company as saying, “GPI adds mission-critical stand-off to warfighters in scenarios where distance creates an advantage. Tailorable to a multitude of mission requirements, Northrop Grumman’s revolutionary solution is designed to perform in the evolving threat landscape.”
