USApedia

Missile Defense Agency: Difference between revisions

Page Discussion

Missile Defense Agency (view source)

Revision as of 00:24, 15 February 2025

897 bytes added ,  15 February 2025
m
Text replacement - "|ParentOrganization=U.S. Department of Defense" to "|ParentOrganization=Department of Defense |TopOrganization=Department of Defense"
VisualWikitext
m (Updated estimates)
 
m (Text replacement - "|ParentOrganization=U.S. Department of Defense" to "|ParentOrganization=Department of Defense |TopOrganization=Department of Defense")
 
(5 intermediate revisions by one other user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Organization
|OrganizationName=Missile Defense Agency
|OrganizationType=Executive Departments (Sub-organization)
|Mission=The MDA develops and deploys a layered Missile Defense System to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from missile attacks in all phases of flight. Its mission includes the integration of various missile defense components to counter ballistic missile threats.
|ParentOrganization=Department of Defense
|TopOrganization=Department of Defense
|CreationLegislation=National Missile Defense Act of 1999
|Employees=2500
|Budget=$10.4 billion (Fiscal Year 2024)
|OrganizationExecutive=Director
|Services=Missile defense system development; Testing; Deployment; International cooperation
|HeadquartersLocation=34.64917, -86.6575
|HeadquartersAddress=5700 18th Street, Building 245, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898, United States
|Website=https://www.mda.mil
}}
{{short description|Agency of the US Defense Department}}
{{short description|Agency of the US Defense Department}}
{{Infobox government agency
{{Infobox government agency
|agency_name    = Missile Defense Agency
|agency_name    = Missile Defense Agency
Line 33: Line 49:
The '''Missile Defense Agency''' ('''MDA''') is a component of the [[Federal government of the United States|United States government's]] [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] responsible for developing a comprehensive [[Missile defense|defense]] against [[ballistic missile]]s. It had its origins in the [[Strategic Defense Initiative]] (SDI) which was established in 1983 by [[Ronald Reagan]] and which was headed by [[James A. Abrahamson|Lt. General James Alan Abrahamson]]. Under the Strategic Defense Initiative's Innovative Sciences and Technology Office<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N47/sdi.47n.html|title=SDIO Funds Research|date=November 5, 1985|work=MIT: The Tech|access-date=May 25, 2018|archive-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808172209/http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N47/sdi.47n.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Special Presentation: Innovative Science and Technology Programs|date=June 3, 1988|work=SPIE – Digital Library|doi=10.1117/12.947548}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/19870401/3487.html|title=Star War's Inc.|date=April 1987|work=Inc. Magazine}}</ref> headed by physicist and engineer Dr. James Ionson,<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Washington's Ins & Outs: Ionson and Mense Leave SDIO|date=June 1988|journal=Physics Today|doi=10.1063/1.2811448|last1=Goodwin |first1=Irwin |volume=41 |issue=6 |page=53 |bibcode=1988PhT....41f..53G }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/9425/title/Low-Profile-for-SDI-Work-on-Campus/|title=Low Profile for SDI Work on Campus|date=May 1988|work=The Scientist Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N46/sdi.46n.html|title=Ionson Counters SDI Dispute|date=November 1985|work=MIT: The Tech|access-date=2018-05-25|archive-date=2012-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808200002/http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N46/sdi.46n.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N45/sdi.45n.html|title=Ionson Defends SDI Program|date=October 1985|work=MIT: The Tech|access-date=2018-05-25|archive-date=2012-06-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616203932/http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N45/sdi.45n.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> the investment was predominantly made in basic research at national laboratories, universities, and in industry. These programs have continued to be key sources of funding for top research scientists in the fields of high-energy physics, advanced materials, nuclear research, supercomputing/computation, and many other critical science and engineering disciplines—funding which indirectly supports other research work by top scientists, and which was most politically viable to fund from appropriations for national defense.<ref name="ReferenceA">85-25: National Policy on Transfer of Scientific, Technical and Engineering Information, Security Innovation for Estate Protection</ref> It was renamed the [[Ballistic Missile Defense Organization]] in 1993, and then renamed the Missile Defense Agency in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mda.mil/about/history.html|title=MDA History|date=January 23, 2019|website=mda.mil|access-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref> The current director is Lieutenant General Heath A. Collins.<ref>{{Cite press release | url = https://www.mda.mil/news/23news0005.html | title = Lieutenant General Heath A. Collins is confirmed as the Director, Missile Defense Agency | date = December 5, 2023 | work = www.mda.mil | publisher = Missile Defense Agency | access-date = October 18, 2024 | location = Fort Belvoir, Virginia}}</ref>
The '''Missile Defense Agency''' ('''MDA''') is a component of the [[Federal government of the United States|United States government's]] [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] responsible for developing a comprehensive [[Missile defense|defense]] against [[ballistic missile]]s. It had its origins in the [[Strategic Defense Initiative]] (SDI) which was established in 1983 by [[Ronald Reagan]] and which was headed by [[James A. Abrahamson|Lt. General James Alan Abrahamson]]. Under the Strategic Defense Initiative's Innovative Sciences and Technology Office<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N47/sdi.47n.html|title=SDIO Funds Research|date=November 5, 1985|work=MIT: The Tech|access-date=May 25, 2018|archive-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808172209/http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N47/sdi.47n.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Special Presentation: Innovative Science and Technology Programs|date=June 3, 1988|work=SPIE – Digital Library|doi=10.1117/12.947548}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/19870401/3487.html|title=Star War's Inc.|date=April 1987|work=Inc. Magazine}}</ref> headed by physicist and engineer Dr. James Ionson,<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Washington's Ins & Outs: Ionson and Mense Leave SDIO|date=June 1988|journal=Physics Today|doi=10.1063/1.2811448|last1=Goodwin |first1=Irwin |volume=41 |issue=6 |page=53 |bibcode=1988PhT....41f..53G }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/9425/title/Low-Profile-for-SDI-Work-on-Campus/|title=Low Profile for SDI Work on Campus|date=May 1988|work=The Scientist Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N46/sdi.46n.html|title=Ionson Counters SDI Dispute|date=November 1985|work=MIT: The Tech|access-date=2018-05-25|archive-date=2012-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808200002/http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N46/sdi.46n.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N45/sdi.45n.html|title=Ionson Defends SDI Program|date=October 1985|work=MIT: The Tech|access-date=2018-05-25|archive-date=2012-06-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616203932/http://tech.mit.edu/V105/N45/sdi.45n.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> the investment was predominantly made in basic research at national laboratories, universities, and in industry. These programs have continued to be key sources of funding for top research scientists in the fields of high-energy physics, advanced materials, nuclear research, supercomputing/computation, and many other critical science and engineering disciplines—funding which indirectly supports other research work by top scientists, and which was most politically viable to fund from appropriations for national defense.<ref name="ReferenceA">85-25: National Policy on Transfer of Scientific, Technical and Engineering Information, Security Innovation for Estate Protection</ref> It was renamed the [[Ballistic Missile Defense Organization]] in 1993, and then renamed the Missile Defense Agency in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mda.mil/about/history.html|title=MDA History|date=January 23, 2019|website=mda.mil|access-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref> The current director is Lieutenant General Heath A. Collins.<ref>{{Cite press release | url = https://www.mda.mil/news/23news0005.html | title = Lieutenant General Heath A. Collins is confirmed as the Director, Missile Defense Agency | date = December 5, 2023 | work = www.mda.mil | publisher = Missile Defense Agency | access-date = October 18, 2024 | location = Fort Belvoir, Virginia}}</ref>


Rapid changes in the strategic environment due to the rapid [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]] led, in 1993, to [[Bill Clinton]] focusing on [[theatre ballistic missile|theater ballistic missiles]] and similar threats, and renaming it the [[Ballistic Missile Defense Organization]], BMDO. With another change to a more global focus made by [[George W. Bush]], in 2002 the organization became the Missile Defense Agency.
Rapid changes in the strategic environment due to the rapid [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]] led, in 1993, to [[Bill Clinton]] focusing on [[theatre ballistic missile|theater ballistic missiles]] and similar threats, and renaming it the [[Ballistic Missile Defense Organization]], BMDO. With another change to a more global focus made by George W. Bush, in 2002 the organization became the Missile Defense Agency.


The Missile Defense Agency is partially or wholly responsible for the development of several [[ballistic missile defense]] (BMD) systems, including the [[Patriot PAC-3]], [[Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System|Aegis BMD]], [[THAAD]] and the [[Ground-Based Midcourse Defense]] system with a cost of $246 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sherman |first=Jason |date=2024-11-01 |title=MDA pegs cost of Missile Defense System at $246B, prioritizes SM-3 Bk IIA over IB |url=https://insidedefense.com/daily-news/mda-pegs-cost-missile-defense-system-246b-prioritizes-sm-3-bk-iia-over-ib |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=Inside Defense |language=en-US}}</ref> They also led the development of numerous other projects, including the [[Multiple Kill Vehicle]] and the newer Multi-Object Kill Vehicle, the [[Kinetic Energy Interceptor]] and the [[Boeing YAL-1|Airborne Laser]]. As the inheritor of the SDI and BMDO work, the MDA continues to fund fundamental research in high-energy physics, supercomputing/computation, advanced materials, and many other science and engineering disciplines.<ref name="ReferenceA" />
The Missile Defense Agency is partially or wholly responsible for the development of several [[ballistic missile defense]] (BMD) systems, including the [[Patriot PAC-3]], [[Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System|Aegis BMD]], [[THAAD]] and the [[Ground-Based Midcourse Defense]] system with a cost of $246 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sherman |first=Jason |date=2024-11-01 |title=MDA pegs cost of Missile Defense System at $246B, prioritizes SM-3 Bk IIA over IB |url=https://insidedefense.com/daily-news/mda-pegs-cost-missile-defense-system-246b-prioritizes-sm-3-bk-iia-over-ib |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=Inside Defense |language=en-US}}</ref> They also led the development of numerous other projects, including the [[Multiple Kill Vehicle]] and the newer Multi-Object Kill Vehicle, the [[Kinetic Energy Interceptor]] and the [[Boeing YAL-1|Airborne Laser]]. As the inheritor of the SDI and BMDO work, the MDA continues to fund fundamental research in high-energy physics, supercomputing/computation, advanced materials, and many other science and engineering disciplines.<ref name="ReferenceA" />
Line 94: Line 110:
Research and development:
Research and development:
* [[Kinetic Energy Interceptor]] (KEI) – In December 2003, MDA awarded a contract to [[Northrop Grumman]] for developing and testing. It will have to be launched from a location not too far from the launch site of the target missile (and is therefore less suitable against large countries), it has to be fired very soon after launch of the target, and it has to be very fast itself (6&nbsp;km/s). In 2009, the Department of Defense and MDA determined the technological issues were  excessive and cancelled the program, allocating no funding for it in its later budget submission.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/budget/fy2010/dod/rdte-mda-interceptors.pdf |title=Kinetic Energy Interceptors Program Element 0603886C Budget Item Justification |date=May 2009}}</ref>
* [[Kinetic Energy Interceptor]] (KEI) – In December 2003, MDA awarded a contract to [[Northrop Grumman]] for developing and testing. It will have to be launched from a location not too far from the launch site of the target missile (and is therefore less suitable against large countries), it has to be fired very soon after launch of the target, and it has to be very fast itself (6&nbsp;km/s). In 2009, the Department of Defense and MDA determined the technological issues were  excessive and cancelled the program, allocating no funding for it in its later budget submission.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/budget/fy2010/dod/rdte-mda-interceptors.pdf |title=Kinetic Energy Interceptors Program Element 0603886C Budget Item Justification |date=May 2009}}</ref>
* [[Boeing YAL-1]] Airborne Laser (ABL) – Team ABL proposed and won the contract for this system in 1996. A high-energy laser mounted on a converted 747 airliner was used to intercept a test target in January 2010,<ref name="ABL_2010_test">[http://www.mda.mil/news/gallery_abl.html Airborne Laser (ABL) 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128055002/http://www.mda.mil/news/gallery_abl.html |date=2010-01-28 }}. US Missile Defense Agency, January 10, 2010. Retrieved: January 25, 2010.</ref> and the following month, successfully destroyed two test missiles.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1111660620100212?type=marketsNews|title=U.S. successfully tests airborne laser on missile|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=Feb 12, 2010}}</ref> While the program has been cancelled due to concerns about its practicality with present technology (while successful the system was still extremely short ranged, likely needing to fly in heavily defended space to make an interception) the YAL-1 served to demonstrate the potential of such a system. The capabilities of being deployed rapidly to any part of the world and of intercepting a large number of missiles would make a future system extremely attractive.
* [[Boeing YAL-1]] Airborne Laser (ABL) – Team ABL proposed and won the contract for this system in 1996. A high-energy laser mounted on a converted 747 airliner was used to intercept a test target in January 2010,<ref name="ABL_2010_test">[http://www.mda.mil/news/gallery_abl.html Airborne Laser (ABL) 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128055002/http://www.mda.mil/news/gallery_abl.html |date=2010-01-28 }}. US Missile Defense Agency, January 10, 2010. Retrieved: January 25, 2010.</ref> and the following month, successfully destroyed two test missiles.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1111660620100212?type=marketsNews|title=U.S. successfully tests airborne laser on missile|publisher=Reuters|date=Feb 12, 2010}}</ref> While the program has been cancelled due to concerns about its practicality with present technology (while successful the system was still extremely short ranged, likely needing to fly in heavily defended space to make an interception) the YAL-1 served to demonstrate the potential of such a system. The capabilities of being deployed rapidly to any part of the world and of intercepting a large number of missiles would make a future system extremely attractive.
* [[Network Centric Airborne Defense Element]] (NCADE) – On September 18, 2008 Raytheon announced it had been awarded a $10 million contract to continue research and development of NCADE, a missile defense system based on the [[AIM-120 AMRAAM]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?item=1080 |title=Raytheon Awarded $10 million to Develop New Missile Defense Interceptor |date=Sep 18, 2008 |publisher=Raytheon}}</ref>
* [[Network Centric Airborne Defense Element]] (NCADE) – On September 18, 2008 Raytheon announced it had been awarded a $10 million contract to continue research and development of NCADE, a missile defense system based on the [[AIM-120 AMRAAM]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?item=1080 |title=Raytheon Awarded $10 million to Develop New Missile Defense Interceptor |date=Sep 18, 2008 |publisher=Raytheon}}</ref>
One can distinguish disabling the warheads and just disabling the boosting capability. The latter has the risk of "shortfall": damage in countries between the launch site and the target location.
One can distinguish disabling the warheads and just disabling the boosting capability. The latter has the risk of "shortfall": damage in countries between the launch site and the target location.
Retrieved from ‘https://openusaproject.com/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/9338...28896’