Subtopic B - Interactive Discrimination Techniques utilizing Advanced Interceptor Concepts for Ballistic Missile Defense

"This SBIR Phase I program will evaluate the feasibility of combining innovativeinteractive discrimination techniques with advanced interceptor concepts to enhancethe robustness of existing and future Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Systemsagainst countermeasures. Countermeasures are one of the primary concerns of BMDSystem designers. As such, the real challenge to the defense designer is to be ableto provide a capabilities based development approach. This program attempts tocombine advanced interceptor concepts with innovative, interactive discriminationtechniques to provide an extremely robust capability to defeat most countermeasures. This activity will leverage past BMD discrimination work performed by XonTechto assess the capability of interactive discrimination techniques to measurepotentially small imparted motions. The program will also utilize advancedinterceptor concepts, postulated by XonTech and others, which might provideadditional robustness beyond "standard" hit-to-kill interceptors used on mostdefense programs today. These generic concepts include multiple kill vehicles perbooster, "artificial atmospheres" for interactive discrimination, and sweeperconcepts that might actively eliminate a large portion of the threat cloud. The finalproduct will be a feasibility assessment showing, which of the discriminationtechniques is suitable for consideration with each of the generic advancedinterceptor concepts. The comm