Intercepting Boosting Missile Threats

TSC will assess the improved engagement performance opportunities against maneuvering boosting ballistic missile threats by improving the interceptor guidance laws. Both intentional and unintentional boost phase threat ballistic missile maneuvers will beestimated and characterized. Interceptor guidance law candidates will be selected from existing guidance laws and a new class of guidance laws developed at TSC. Candidate guidance laws offering the highest performance improvement opportunities will bechosen from among the candidates using engagement simulation evaluations and specific performance criteria. The results of this selection will provide the basis for developing optimal maneuver characterizations against the selected guidance laws forfurther evaluations. One of the most stressing and effective countermeasures employed by offensive missiles for defense penetration is the maneuver. Assessing, such as is proposed in this SBIR, guidance laws to counter this defense penetration techniquewill require a systems approach. Accordingly, during a Phase II effort TSC will develop a prototype generic BMD Interceptor Technology Test-Bed architecture and simulation environment aimed at countering the maneuvering missile threat. The test-bed will becapable of supporting a wide range of further studies in various Air Force and Navy programs for ballistic and cruise missile defense applications. This approach will provide the best opportunity to attract a wide scope of potential customers.We anticipate three approaches to commercialization. The first is using the Test-Bed study results from this SBIR to select guidance algorithms to be used in the U.S. Missile Defense program. This approach could result in revenue from the Missile Defenseprime contractors or directly from the Government program. We expect that at the conclusion of a successful Phase II, a Phase III award will lead to guidance algorithm testing in an operational mission simulation.The second approach will involve marketing the Air Force and Navy to use this test-bed and our expertise to develop interceptor guidance technology to defeat the maneuvering antiship and land attack cruise missile threat.The third approach will involve the marketing of the simulation test-bed itself to potential prime contractors across the services.