Kinetic Energy Interceptor Prepares for Flight Testing with Simulated Launch Countdown

The Missile Defense Agency successfully completed an important exercise of the Kinetic Energy Interceptors(KEI) program in preparation for its inaugural flight test later this year. Team members executed simulated
launch countdown activities of an inert pathfinder Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) booster vehicle on April 9, 2009, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., as a risk reduction effort for the first flight test of the highacceleration vehicle.

The KEI pathfinder missile, fully functional with the exception of inert motors, was tested with range instrumentation, launch operations personnel and launch procedures. This pathfinder vehicle test has validated
launch operations activities in preparation for flight testing.
KEI is designed to be a mobile, globally deployable missile defense system featuring MDA’s newest highacceleration booster. KEI will provide the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) with a capability to defeat
long-range ballistic missiles during the boost, ascent, and midcourse phases of flight.

By engaging hostile missiles in early stages of flight, KEI increases intercept opportunities and enhances the BMDS layered defensive capability.
The KEI program is managed by the Missile Defense Agency in Washington, D.C., and executed by the KEI Project Office in Huntsville, Ala.  [Missile Defense Agency]

The Northrop Grumman Corporation-led (NYSE:NOC) Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) team successfully completed the third of five planned static fire tests of the second stage motor on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s KEI program.

Conducted at teammate Alliant Techsystems’ (NYSE:ATK) facility in Elkton, Md., the test represented the first static firing test of the flight configuration nozzle. Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) oversaw the test as the team’s lead for interceptor development.

“The success of this test provides us with additional confidence in our second stage motor design and performance,” said Anthony Spehar, sector vice president and KEI program manager for Northrop Grumman’s Space Technology sector. “This test marks a critical milestone for the program that shows our mission assurance efforts are on track leading to the program’s first booster flight test in 2009.”

Designed and built by ATK, the second stage rocket motor burned successfully to completion and met all test objectives. Initial results from the test matched expectations for mechanical and ballistic performance. Detailed data collected during the test will be used to further refine and optimize the motor design and performance.

KEI is designed to be a mobile, globally deployable missile defense system featuring MDA’s newest high-acceleration booster. The system’s mission is to provide a strategically deployable, tactically mobile, land- and sea-based capability to defeat medium- to long-range ballistic missiles during the boost, ascent and midcourse phases of flight. The highly maneuverable booster, a multi-sensor fire control system and constant communications give KEI the unique capability to counter missiles in all stages of flight.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.  [Northrup Grumman]

For those that don’t know, according to Global Security, the Kinetic Energy Interceptor program will provide needed additional capability to the nation’s Ballistic Missile Defense System. The program was initially aimed at deploying a boost-phase intercept capability by 2008. By engaging ballistic missiles in the boost and ascent stages of flight, the KEI will provide the nation with the capability of defeating future sophisticated threats before their payloads are released. The KEI program is designed to produce interceptors capable of shooting down enemy ballistic missiles during their boost and ascent phases of flight. This effort will augment the midcourse and terminal based interceptor programs currently underway to provide a layered missile defense architecture that will guard against potential enemy attack.

Basically what this is saying is that KEI will be able to target an incoming missile before it reaches the apex of its journey to reach its target:

In the image you can see the launcher of the KEI stationed in Korea shooting down the North Korean missile during its boost phase with additional SM-3 missiles fired from off shore as well to further ensure the destruction of the missile.  This image gives a good illustration of how big the KEI missile is compared to the SM-3 missile used by the Navy:

Of course with a missile as big as the KEI, an even bigger launcher is needed to fire it:

This missile is also being developed to be launched from a sea based platform as well.  Don’t expect to see this system in service any time soon though because it is expected to be fielded within the next decade.