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The market for ground-based Midcourse Defense becomes very important in the light of global defense against missiles, as it is largely concentrated on intercepting ballistic missiles during their midcourse phase, that is, beyond the atmosphere of Earth.
It is a market comprising technologies and systems meant for detecting, tracking, discriminating, and intercepting the threat of missiles reaching a destination. These include ground-based interceptors, advanced sensor systems like radars and infrared sensors, command and control infrastructure, and some supporting technologies on data fusion and cybersecurity.
As ballistic missiles proliferate ever faster, and new threat vectors come from so-called rogue states and non-state actors alike, governments around the world make deep investments to strengthen their missile defense capabilities.
The United States stands out in the development and fielding of GMD systems, along with installations at key spots like Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. International partnerships and collaborations also help dictate the tenor of the market through the process of interoperability involving co-share defense capabilities between partner nations.
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense, earlier named National Missile Defense, is an anti-ballistic missile system deployed for defense against ballistic missiles during the midcourse phase of ballistic trajectory flight. It is a central component of the missile defense strategy against ballistic missiles, which include intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear, chemical, biological, or conventional warheads.
The system has two interceptor staging bases in USA, located in Alaska and California. The former hosts 40 staged, while the latter hosts 4 staged for a total of 44 interceptors, with the component early warning sensors, targeting land, sea, and orbital. A 2019 Missile Defense Review had called for 20 additional interceptors to be based at Fort Greely, Alaska, but they have yet to arrive.
The Global Ground Based Midcourse Defense System Market was valued at $XX billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $XX billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of XX% from 2024 to 2030.
Improved Sensor Integration
Improved sensor integration in the GMD system market implies the incorporation of advanced sensor technologies to enhance the effectiveness of the GMD system in detecting, tracking, and discriminating against an incoming ballistic missile threat. This would consist of multi-band radar deployment with operations across a varied range of frequency spectrums for coverage and target identification purposes. Infrared sensors play a critical role in detecting and tracking missiles during their midcourse phase, complementing radar systems by providing additional data for accurate threat assessment.
Improved Interceptor Performance
Improvements to the interceptor performance in the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system market include efficiently developed interceptors that will defeat the ballistic missile threat. Notably, higher velocity interceptors will close the distance to targets more rapidly, thereby reducing engagement timelines and generally improving system effectiveness. Advances in maneuverability features allow interceptors to modify their trajectory and enhance targeting precision against a variety of agile and evasive missile threats.
Data Fusion and Command Systems
Data Fusion and Command Systems are oriented to the integration of advanced technologies aimed at decision-making and operational effectiveness optimization within the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system marketplace. Such advanced algorithms are employed in fusing data that emanates from multiple sensors, like radars and infrared detectors, to come up with a comprehensive and accurate picture of the Missile threats incoming. The system capability of tracking and discriminating real warheads from decoys or debris is further refined by data fusion from the sensors themselves, aiding satellite surveillance or other ground sensors. The command system makes essentially vital decisions on how to set up intercept missions, execute launches of interceptors, and response strategies against changing threat assessments.
Lockheed Martin launched its Next Generation Interceptor in support of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system after it had earned the selection for this assignment from the Missile Defense Agency. The NGI is a meaningful evolution of the Homeland Missile Defense System to protect against LRBM threats from rogue nations. Lockheed Martin was able to deliver a state-of-the-art interceptor that will seamlessly interoperate with the GMD System as the lead integrator. This led the firm to focus on reliability, affordability, and technological improvements in its preparations for the undertaking of NGI for current and future security challenges.
Raytheon Company, an RTX business, announced it completed a critical milestone in the recent test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System GMD when the Classic Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle EKV successfully intercepted an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile. Conducted by the US in the Pacific. The test, conducted by the Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Northern Command, became the 13th successful intercept of this program. The test reflected an exceptionally high operational readiness and reliability of the US ballistic missile defense system. Raytheon’s leadership in missile defense technology was once again underlined as it sustains the existing fleet of sensors and interceptors of the Missile Defense Agency while developing next-generation ballistic missile interceptors and kill vehicles. These innovations are in the wake of providing warfighters with improved defense against existing and evolving missile threats.
Underground missile silo
Boeing, in association with other industry leaders, began working on a project to develop an underground missile silo field in Alaska, aiming to arm it with 20 new anti-ballistic missiles. This move is part of a $6.56-billion, six-year contract geared at boosting the U.S. missile defense. The project worked on extending the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system to include the space segment for intercepting the incoming enemy missiles before they re-enter into the Earth’s atmosphere. The new missile field, just outside an existing GMD site at Fort Greely, Alaska, was specifically chose in view of escalated concerns over North Korea’s advanced missile testing activities. The contract with the customer involved system development, integration, testing, and sustainment. Besides, design changes at the kill vehicle, software upgrades, and improvements in cybersecurity were some of the initiatives to increase the effectiveness and reliability of the GMD system against ballistic missile threats.
