Page 30 - PARIS AIRSHOW 2023 INSIGHT | GBP

U.S Navy Vice Adm. Jon A. Hill, director of in their glide phase. The he potential partnership for the Glide
the Missile Defence Agency, said: We are Phase Interceptor could look like the SM-3 block IIA program,
continuing our cooperative missile defence which also involved collaboration between Japan and the United
relationship with Israel, jointly developing States, Hill said.Later this year, hypersonic and ballistic-tracking,
and delivering systems to strengthen its mis- space-sensor satellites will demonstrate tracking and targeting
sile defences and increase interoperability to support hypersonic engagements. Those satellites will partic-
between U.S. and Israeli forces. In FY 2024, ipate in flight tests and real-world threat collections throughout
our two nations continue to cooperate on fiscal year 2024, he said.
engineering, development, co-production,
testing, and fielding of the Arrow Weapon Last June, the U.S. Missile Defence Agency selected Raytheon
System, the David’s Sling Weapon System, Missiles & Defence, a Raytheon Technologies business, and
and co-production for the Iron Dome Defence Northrop Grumman to continue to develop a first-of-its-kind
System.” counter-hypersonic missile, the Glide Phase Interceptor. GPI is
designed to intercept hypersonic weapons in the glide phase of
Hypersonic weapons, like ballistic missiles, fly flight, providing the U.S. and allies with an additional layer of
at speeds of at least Mach 5, or roughly 1 mile defence against regional hypersonic missile threats.
per second. Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic “When it comes to defending against hypersonic weapons that
weapons do not follow a ballistic trajectory move and maneuver at more than five times the speed of sound,
and can manoeuvre en route to their target. you need layers of defence and multiple opportunities to take
“Due to the global manoeuvre capabilities out the threat,” said Tay Fitzgerald, president of Strategic Missile
of hypersonic missiles, a space-based track- Defence at Raytheon Missiles & Defence. “Our GPI is built on
ing and targeting capability is in clear need,” proven missile defence technology as its foundation. By using
Hill said, adding, “The Space Force and the digital engineering and leveraging high technology readiness
Missile Defence Agency are co-developing level components and subsystems already in use across standard
hypersonic ballistic tracking from space.” The missile and hypersonic programs, we can quickly advance the
MDA is also working closely with the Navy creation of this new interceptor,” Fitzgerald added.
to develop, field, and upgrade SBT defences
to counter more advanced manoeuvring and In FY 2024, MDA will continue to develop and mature the GPI
hypersonic threats. “We anticipate delivering capability and leverage the Aegis Weapon System. Today, MDA
these Increment 3 capabilities in 2025,” Hill already provides the Navy an initial terminal defence capability.
said. “GPI will play a central role in ensuring the United States main-
tains the most reliable and advanced missile defence systems in
The MDA is also seeking a partnership with the world that are capable of outpacing and defeating evolving
Japan to work on a hypersonic missile inter- missile threats,” said Rich Straka, vice president, launch vehicles,
ceptor system that will stop such weapons Northrop Grumman.

30 | PARIS AIRSHOW 2023 INSIGHT ∙ JUNE 2023 WWW.GBP.COM.SG