Improved Homeland Defense Interceptors

The Improved Homeland Defense Interceptors provides the development, integration, and testing of a Next Generation Interceptor AUR consisting of an integrated boost vehicle/multiple kill vehicle payload capable of surviving both natural and hostile environments while countering the allocated threat space. Meeting the United States Northern Command's (USNORTHCOM) Operational Needs for Homeland Defense. The Next Generation Interceptor will provide USNORTHCOM a solution that is lethal across the specified threat space; upgradeable to address future and advancing threats; and fully integrated into the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Weapon System (GWS). The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) issued a Request for Proposal in FY 2020 and competitively awarded two best value contracts on March 24, 2021, for a Next Generation Interceptor acquisition, which covers the development, integration, and testing of an AUR consisting of an integrated boost vehicle/multiple kill vehicle payload. The MDA maintained the competitive environment through Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR) and Knowledge Point (KP) #1 in FY 2024 to reduce technical risk, encourage schedule acceleration, and support the Department's ability to field a system capable of negating the expanding threat. With the PDR/KP #1 data, the MDA selected a single Prime contractor for continued development through a CDR; qualification; integration with the GWS; Peculiar Support Equipment (PSE) to support AUR emplacement and in-silo maintenance; ground cyber and flight testing; and AUR production. The funds requested in this PE provide both legacy and Global Missile Defense Capability development for the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and partners. The capabilities funded by this budget request are complementary to the architecture funded by the Golden Dome Program's separate budget request and together fulfill the President's Executive Order 14186. The President's January 27, 2025, Executive Order established a goal of protecting the U.S. citizens, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and securing second-strike capability against missile attack from any adversary. This program and budget in addition to the budget requested by the Golden Dome Program Office reflects the changes necessary to protect the U.S. against ballistic, hypersonic, cruise, and other advanced missile threats.

PWS contains non-headquarters management costs in support of Missile Defense Agency (MDA) functions and activities across the entire Missile Defense System. These functions include Government Civilians and Contract Support Services. This effort provides integrity and oversight of the Missile Defense System as well as supports MDA in the development and evaluation of technologies that will respond to the changing threat. Additionally, PWS includes personnel to support global deployments performing deployment site preparation and activation, and provides facility capabilities for MDA Executing Agent locations worldwide. Other MDA wide costs include: physical and technical security; civilian drug testing; audit readiness; the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program; legal services and settlements; travel and agency training; office, equipment, vehicle, and warehouse leases; utilities and base operations across multiple geographic locations; commercial and ancillary facility services; management of all facility aspects regardless of lifecycle stage; supplies and maintenance; compliance with statutory environmental requirements; data and unified communications support; materiel and readiness and central property management of equipment; Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization (FSRM) program (formerly Real Property Maintenance) to keep the Department's inventory of facilities in good working order; and similar operating expenses. PWS is allocated on a pro-rata basis across most Agency PEs and, therefore, fluctuates per PE by FY based on the total Agency budget in that FY.