August 16, 2003 :: The Missile Defense Agency :: News
Saturday’s test of a booster for the ground-based missile defense system was successful. The test launch, which took place from Vandenburg Air Force Base, did not involve an intercept attempt, but was only for the booster itself. More tests are planned for this fall.
The GMD system will be based in Fort Greely, with 16 planned interceptors. These are the interceptors which would carry the EKV, which employs “hit-to-kill” technology. There are also plans for another four interceptors based in California, at Vandenburg. This is part of the limited system the Bush administration has said will be deployed by late 2004. The system is limited, in that while it would defend against a few missiles launched from far away, such as from North Korea, it could not defend from either a large number of missiles such as would be launched from Russia or Communist China, or any number of short-range missiles launched from close by, such as from a ship off our coast. The GMD system nevertheless provides an important foundation for a more robust and layered system which would include defenses based on land, sea, and in space.
(Article)
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» Missile system details for: Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV), Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)
