Defense against Hypersonic Glide Vehicles

[Scott Kenny]

MDA saying hypersonic missiles difficult to counter due to their ability to maneuver in flight though they are planning to field a new version of the SM-6 in the interim before the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) reaches operational capability in 2032. Would be correct in assuming that driving the GPI requirement to be a big and very expensive missile with a range of approx. 1,000 miles?

Every analysis of intercepting HGVs I've seen says that the launcher needs to be within about 10km of the target to be able to make the interception AT ALL.

So either you have a relatively small number of expensive super long range missile that can pop the hypersonics while they're out of the atmosphere and unable to maneuver, or you have an enormous number of individually relatively cheap point defense missiles. Both alternatives are expensive as total programs.

I had an idea for a drone that was pretty fast climbing and pretty fast in general (basically a cross between an F104 and a D21 drone with a couple of PAC3s on it or similar), just so you might be able to get away with basing the interceptors ~180km away from the objects to be protected. 2 minutes to climb to interception altitude and accelerate to M2.9+, 3 minutes to get over the defended area. But the interception geometry works out to needing to launch that drone when the HGV is ~1800km away!

 

[Forest Green]

Every analysis of intercepting HGVs I've seen says that the launcher needs to be within about 10km of the target to be able to make the interception AT ALL.

Without knowing the missile or target HGV that analysis isn't too helpful.

 

[sferrin]

Real answer is to intercept at mid-stage or earlier. Anything past that would be playing to the missile’s advantage.

Depends on the glide vehicle. Some start gliding WAY out. The problem is much like Boost Phase Intercept if you're not going after the glider.