The Boeing Ground Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program team and the Missile Defense Agency deployed the ninth GMD interceptor in its underground silo at Fort Greeley, Alaska, on Sept. 18.
Current Bush administration plans call for 16 ABM interceptors to be deployed by the end of this year and for 48 to eventually be deployed in all in Alaska and California.
The operation involved the use of a special crane to lower the interceptor into the silo. This is the seventh interceptor deployed at the Fort Greeley site. Two interceptors also were deployed at the GMD site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., in 2004.
The GMD system consists of integrated ground-based interceptors, a variety of sensors and an expansive battle management command, control and communications network capable of protecting the homeland from a limited long-range ballistic missile attack.
“The continued emplacement of interceptors at Fort Greeley expands our missile defense capability and further expands the protection of the nation against the ballistic missile threat,” said Missile Defense Systems Vice President and General Manager Pat Shanahan. “GMD is one of the most complex programs this country has ever undertaken and our steady progress increases the flexibility and reach of this true system-of-systems.”
As the prime contractor for the GMD program, Boeing is responsible for the development and integration of the GMD system components, including the ground-based interceptor; ground-based radar prototype; Sea-based X-Band Radar, battle management, command, control and communication systems; early warning radars; and interfaces to the Defense Support Program early warning satellite system. Other GMD team members include Orbital Sciences Corp., Raytheon, Northrop-Grumman and Lockheed Martin.
