Lockheed Martin To Develop Multi-Object Kill Vehicle System Concept

Lockheed Martin has won $9.7 million contract to develop a system concept for a Multi-Object Kill Vehicle missile defense system for the US Missile Defense Agency.

The company announced Thursday that it has begun work to define the concept for use on the interceptors used by the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), element of the nation's ballistic missile defense system.

The company will consider advanced sensor, communication and divert-and-attitude control technologies and approaches, and will identify methods for reducing technical risks. This approach not only will expand the defense of the United States against potential missile attacks, but also will require fewer interceptors.

A kill vehicle keeps people safe by destroying an incoming missile before it reaches its destination. It is the part of an interceptor that strikes an incoming warhead, using force of impact alone to limit effects on the ground.

All of today's US missile defense systems use the hit-to-kill force-of- impact technology pioneered by Lockheed Martin.

"We will devise and explore the most effective solutions for destroying more than one warhead with a single interceptor, an important step in changing the cost curve for missile defense engagement," said Doug Graham, vice president of missile systems and advanced programs, Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

Such a system could thwart an attack involving a single missile that releases a group of objects that includes the warhead plus decoys that are warhead look-alikes.