The Pentagon has accelerated plans to develop a Multi-Object Kill Vehicle – an interceptor that can take out multiple threats at once. This includes warheads, or a warhead and decoys.
The Pentagon has accelerated its plans to develop a Multi-Object Kill Vehicle – a warhead interceptor that can take out multiple threats at once.
A budget request for $259 million aims to speed up the development of the technology, and see it achieve ‘demonstrated capability’ by 2025, five years earlier than previously estimated.
It comes as North Korea is thought to be working on decoy-firing missiles, but officials say the move is not in response to any specific threats, according to Defense One .
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‘We have accelerated MOKV risk reduction and product development phases to achieve a demonstrated capability in the 2025 timeframe,’ an official from the Missile Defense Agency told Defense One in an email.
It’s ‘not in response to any specific intelligence, but to stay ahead of potential future threats,’ the official said.
The MDA awarded a $58.6 million, 35-month contract to Boeing last month to demonstrate the technology.
This type of ‘kill vehicle’ would be able to take out several threats at a time – be it several warheads, or a warhead and its decoys, according to Defense One.
Just days ago, the Pentagon tested a Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) interceptor at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
The technology was used to disable a mock intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launched above the Pacific Ocean.
Footage of the test, which was hailed a success, reveals the moment the interceptor roared toward the fake warhead, before colliding into it in a flash of light and heat.
But, as weapons capabilities continue to grow, the US government is working to stay on top of the advancing threats.
This includes the possibility of missiles that can fire decoys to trick the interceptor, according to Defense One.
The ‘rational behind the Multi-Object Kill Vehicle program,’ according to an MDA statement from last year, is that ‘the more kill vehicles we can put on an interceptor, the greater raid capacity our Ground-based Midcourse Defense system will have.’
This technology could ultimately ‘revolutionize our missile defense architecture.’
The Pentagon is looking to see the MOKV program move into a new development phase, following an initial study contract in 2015 which had Boeing design and develop the contract.
According to Boeing, the MOKB will increase the ability of interceptors to spot missiles heading toward the US, and destroy them mid-air.
‘Our MOKV concept gives the Missile Defense Agency flexibility in eliminating threats more efficiently and affordably,’ said Paul Geery, vice president, Mission Solutions, Phantom Works.
‘We’ ve created a robust, resilient design that benefits from our extensive experience in advanced seekers.’
