MDA undertook a highly concurrent acquisition strategy to meet the President’s 2002 directive to deploy an initial set of missile defense capabilities by 2004. To do so, the GMD element concurrently matured technology, designed the system, tested the design, and produced and fielded a system.
Because I couldn’t resist
Two fair questions prompted by the cartoon: (1) How far has North Korea’s missile program advanced since 2006 and (2) how far has the US Ground Based Midcourse Defense System (GMD) advanced since 2006?
Shipboard Sensors for European Missile Defense Far From Up to Snuff
Earlier this year we profiled the Defense Science Board’s (DSB) September 2011 report titled “Science and Technology Issues of Early Intercept Ballistic Missile Defense Feasibility.” We noted at the time that the report is about a lot more than early intercept; it highlighted a number of shortcomings of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA), some of which also plague the Ground Based Midcourse Defense system. The report was especially startling given that such information doesn’t often make it beyond the classification wall.
The Wages of Missile Defense
By Matthew Fargo The House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee met on March 6, 2012 to discuss the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for Missile Defense. One of the many topics they discussed was the U.S. Ground-based Midcourse Defense system, (GMD – formerly known as National Missile Defense). Republicans on the subcommittee […]
Missile Defense Intercepts in Space: A problem not solved
by Robert G. Gard The Department of Defense asked the Defense Science Board to study the feasibility of an “early intercept” of ballistic missiles, a capability planned for the fourth and final developmental stage of a missile defense program designed to protect Europe from hostile ballistic missiles. The Defense Science Board is an independent Defense […]
