Boeing has successfully completed flight testing of the US Missile Defence Agency’s (MDA) upgraded ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) system at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Carried out by the MDA and industry partners, the test involved a Raytheon-built Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) completing a data-gathering mission.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Boeing Ground-based Midcourse Defense vice-president and programme director Norm Tew said: "The Missile Defense Agency’s test design enabled the collection of critical data to validate key design improvements for the US homeland defence architecture.

"This data will also support future development, such as the work that’s currently underway on the Boeing-led redesigned kill vehicle."

"Testing is critically important to ensuring the advancement of reliable kill vehicles for the protection of the US homeland."

The test launch aimed to evaluate system components, and increase their ability to destroy ballistic missile threats.

The ballistic missile target being launched was designed not to intercept in order to display the system’s manoeuvring and data collection.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The resulting data will be used to evaluate and enhance the EKV’s design for future intercept missions.

Raytheon Missile Systems president Taylor W Lawrence said: "This was a remarkable data-collection opportunity. These are among our industry’s most complex systems.

"Testing is critically important to ensuring the advancement of reliable kill vehicles for the protection of the US homeland."

The GMD uses radars, sensors, command-and-control facilities, communications terminals, and a 2,000-mile fibre-optic communications network to safeguard the US from long-range ballistic missile threats, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

Boeing serves as the GMD’s prime contractor, and leads an industry team comprising Northrop Grumman, Orbital Sciences and Raytheon.