The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has partnered with the Northrop Grumman to develop the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI), a countermeasure designed to address threats from hypersonic missiles, which have distinguished themselves for their transformative military capabilities.
Among the platforms, the hypersonic gliding vehicle stands out, which uses a launch system boost-glide. Propelled by a rocket to the edge of space, it glides back into the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, following a non-ballistic trajectory. This capability allows the vehicle to fly at lower altitudes, making its detection and interception more difficult, while its maneuvers during flight decrease the reaction time of air defenses.
MDA launched the GPI program to combat threats that move at more than five times the speed of sound and can maneuver unpredictably. In June 2022, the Northrop Grumman and RTX were pre-selected as manufacturers.
With the selection of Northrop Grumman, the company will now refine the GPI design, conduct performance testing and accelerated flight experiments, using digital engineering practices to speed up development.
The system's design includes features such as improved seeker technology, a re-ignitable upper stage engine and a dual engagement mode. The weapon will be launched from the destroyers' conventional Vertical Launch System (VLS). Aegis of the US Navy and the system Aegis Ashore.
O Aegis Combat System constitutes an integrated naval weapons system designed to track and eliminate airborne threats such as missiles and aircraft, utilizing radar and missile technology together with advanced computing for the detection and engagement of multiple targets at the same time. Northrop Grumman will also collaborate with the US and Japanese Ministries of Defense under the GPI Cooperative Development Program to provide interceptors to MDA.
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