Hypersonisk panikk i USA - Kinas vellykkede test skremmer - Defense Daily

 

Here are the three companies selected to design hypersonic missile interceptors for MDA

By Jen Judson 

Saturday, Nov 20The Russian Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is launched from the Admiral Groshkov frigate on Oct. 7, 2020, in the White Sea. The MDA is designing a new Glide Phase Interceptor to counter possible hypersonic threats from Russia and China. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

WASHINGTON — The Missile Defense Agency has chosen Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Missiles and Defense to design the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) for regional hypersonic missile defense, the agency announced Nov. 19.

The agency awarded other transactional agreements for an “accelerated concept design” phase of the program, according to the statement. The interceptors are intended to counter a hypersonic weapon during its glide phase of flight, a challenge as the missiles can travel more than five times the speed of sound and can maneuver, making it hard to predict a missile’s trajectory.

The interceptors will be designed to fit into the U.S. Navy’s current Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense destroyers. It will be fired from its standard Vertical Launch System and integrated with the modified Baseline 9 Aegis Weapon System that detects, tracks, controls and engages hypersonic threats, the statement notes.