Missile Defense Agency

Missile Defense Agency
MDA
Agency overview
Formed January 2002 (2002-01)
Preceding agencies
Jurisdiction Federal government of the United States
Website mda.mil

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) 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. General James Alan Abrahamson. Under the Strategic Defense Initiative's Innovative Sciences and Technology Office, headed by physicist and engineer Dr. James Lonson, the investment was predominantly made in basic research at national laboratories, universities, and in industry. These programs have continued to be key sources of funding for top research scientists in the fields of high-energy physics, supercomputing/computation, advanced materials, and many other critical science and engineering disciplines — funding which indirectly supports other research work by top scientists, and which was most politically viable to fund within the Military budget of the United States environment.[1] It was renamed the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization in 1993, and then renamed the Missile Defense Agency in 2002. See United States national missile defense for the history of DoD missile defense programs. The current commander is U.S. Navy Vice Admiral James D. Syring.[2]

Mission statement

According to the agency's web-page:

The Missile Defense Agency's mission is to develop, test and prepare for deployment of a missile defense system. Using complementary interceptors, land-, sea-, air- and space-based sensors, and battle management command and control systems, the planned missile defense system will be able to engage all classes and ranges of ballistic missile threats. Our programmatic strategy is to develop, rigorously test, and continuously evaluate production, deployment and operational alternatives for the ballistic missile defense system. Missile defense systems being developed and tested by MDA are primarily based on hit-to-kill technology. It has been described as hitting a bullet with a bullet - a capability that has been successfully demonstrated in test after test.

International mission

Arrow 3, a joint effort between the U.S. and Israel, launched in January 2014

Ballistic Missile Defense Systems (BMDS) must be able to be operated in different regions of the world in order for the success of the MDA mission. The International Strategy was approved by the MDA Director in 2007. The general strategy for international efforts is:[3]

Outreach: Communicate the importance of missile defense by promoting worldwide BMDS by sharing information with allies and partners.
Capability and Interoperability: Identify and integrate U.S and partner systems to create global missile defense system. Promote interoperability among allies.
Technology: Identify and evaluate possible international technology in support of BMDS capabilities.
Investment: Identify and execute investment opportunities with allies and partners.
Workforce: Shape a qualified workforce to execute the MDA International Strategy.

Potential threats against the United States

Ballistic missile systems using advanced liquid- or solid- propellant propulsion are becoming more mobile, accurate and capable of striking targets over longer distances and are proliferating worldwide.[4]:pp.18–19/61

Categories

MIM-104 Patriot Surface-to-air missile (SAM) with anti-ballistic missile capabilities

MDA divides its systems into four phases, boost, ascent, mid-course and terminal, each corresponding to a different phase of the threat ballistic missile flight regime. Each phase offers different advantages and disadvantages to a missile defense system (see missile defense classified by trajectory phase), and the geography of each defended area dictates the types of systems that can be employed, thus the flexible and layered defense approach concept should improve overall defense effectiveness. The more opportunities you have to shoot it down, the better the chance of success.

Alternatively activities are categorized in five "blocks". For example, block 4.0 is "Defend Allies and Deployed Forces in Europe from Limited Iranian Long-Range Threats and Expand Protection of U.S. Homeland". It included the US missile defense complex in Poland to be constructed, and the European Mid-course Radar (EMR) currently located at the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll, which was to be modified and relocated to the Czech Republic.[10][11] That plan, however, was scrapped by the Obama administration on September 17, 2009.[12]

Boost phase
Can intercept all ranges of missiles, but the missile boost phase is only from one to five minutes. It is the best time to track the missile because it is bright and hot. The missile defense interceptors and sensors must be within close proximity to the launch, which is not always possible. This is the most desirable interception phase because it destroys the missile early in flight at its most vulnerable point and the debris will typically fall on the launching nations' territory.
Ascent phase
This is the phase after powered flight but before the apogee. It is significantly less challenging than boost phase intercepts, less costly, minimizes the potential impact of debris and reduces the number of interceptors required to defeat a raid of missiles.
Midcourse phase
This phase begins after the booster burns out and begins coasting in space. This can last as long as 20 minutes. Any debris remaining will burn up as it enters the atmosphere. Ground based missile defense systems can defend from long-range and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in this phase. Mobile elements can defend against medium and short ranged missiles in midcourse.
Terminal phase
This phase is the last chance to intercept the warhead. This contains the least-desirable Interception Point (IP) because there is little room for error and the interception will probably occur close to the defended target.[3]

Boost phase defense

One can distinguish disabling the warheads and just disabling the boosting capability. The latter has the risk of "shortfall": damage in countries between the launch site and the target location.

See also APS report.

Ascent phase defense

Midcourse (ballistic) phase defense

Terminal phase defense

See also

References

  1. 85-25: National Policy on Transfer of Scientific, Technical and Engineering Information, Security Innovation for Estate Protection
  2. http://www.mda.mil/global/documents/pdf/Syring.pdf
  3. 1 2 "Testing: Building Confidence" (PDF). Missile Defense Agency. 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  4. 1 2 Ballistic Missile Defense Review, 26 Jan 2010
  5. "Iran tests longest range missiles". BBC News. 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  6. Hildreth, Steven A. (2008-07-21). "Iran's Ballistic Missile Programs: An Overview". Congressional Research Service. The Library of Congress. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  7. "North Korea's missile programme". BBC News. 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  8. http://www.army.mil/article/134856/The_100th_Missile_Defense_Brigade__A_decade_of_transformation_and_mission_success_/
  9. On North Korea’s failed Musudan launch accessdate=2016-06-03
  10. "Ballistic Missile Defense System". GlobalSecurity. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  11. G. Lewis and T. Postol (May–June 2008). "The European missile defense folly". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 64: 33. doi:10.2968/064002009. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  12. "United States European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) and NATO Missile Defense". U.S. Department of State. May 3, 2011. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  13. "President's Budget Submission for Program Element 0603886C" (PDF). Apr 27, 2009.
  14. Airborne Laser (ABL) 2010. US Missile Defense Agency, January 10, 2010. Retrieved: January 25, 2010.
  15. "U.S. successfully tests airborne laser on missile". Reuters. Feb 12, 2010.
  16. "Raytheon Awarded $10 million to Develop New Missile Defense Interceptor". Raytheon. Sep 18, 2008.
  17. "President's Budget Submission for Program Element 0603894C" (PDF). Apr 27, 2009.
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