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The US Missile Defense Agency selected Lockheed Martin to continue development of the Next Generation Interceptor through a critical design review, all up round qualification and integration in the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Weapon System in a milestone for the program.
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These efforts will lead to a follow-on production and emplacement contract to support achieving the United States Northern Command’s top priority requirement for homeland missile defence, with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) expecting initial operational capability for the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) no later than quarter four of fiscal year 2028.
The MDA is confident in this decision based on the technical maturity of the solutions, objective contractor-provided performance data, technical rigour in the design development process, and early testing built into the program from the onset.
Lieutenant General Heath Collins, Director, Missile Defense Agency highlighted the important role industry-partner Lockheed Martin had played in developing the NGI capability to date, saying, “The American defence industry is one of our country’s greatest strengths, and having to decide between the two different design approaches was very difficult.”
These comments were reinforced by Sarah Hiza, vice-president and general manager of Strategic and Missile Defense at Lockheed Martin, who added, “Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with the MDA on a revolutionary interceptor to advance our nation’s security. We are committed to delivering reliable interceptors that will seamlessly integrate with the GMD system and can rapidly evolve with the threat.”
The Lockheed Martin Next-Generation Interceptor is described as the “first line of defence” and provides a whole-of-design “tip-to-tail interceptor development” within the MDA’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense system program.
In order to keep pace with existing and emerging threats, the MDA established an ambitious timeline for the industry partners to meet an operational deadline of “no later than 2028”.
In late-March of this year, the US Defense Department awarded two contracts in support of the NGI program. Retaining a competitive environment throughout the technology development and design activities has already proven to be a key catalyst in support of the department’s ability to field a system capable of addressing the expanding threat no later than 2028.
Recently, each of the two prime contractor teams – Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman – successfully completed the preliminary design review (PDR) and Knowledge Point 1 (KP1).
The successful completion of not one but two PDRs and KP1s demonstrates the soundness of MDA’s acquisition approach and increases confidence in its ability to deliver a solution that meets cost, schedule, and performance requirements.
“That said, in our effort to go fast and think big, we are very confident in our decision to go with Lockheed Martin and its plans to develop and field a Next Generation Interceptor that will meet USNORTHCOM’s operational need and be ready for emplacement in 2028,” LTGEN Collins explained.
