(U) Navy Theater Wide Theater Ballistic Missile Defense System (TBMD)

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U) The Navy Theater-Wide Defense (NTWD) program will provide U.S. forces an upper-tier ballistic missile defense capability without the need for land bases.  Taking advantage of the mobility of Navy ships, this system could be the first deployed in a region.  NTWD will intercept attacking missiles in their ascent, near apogee and descent phases, thereby providing a large and highly-effective, layered regional defense.  

Description: (U)
(U) The Navy Theater-Wide Defense (NTWD) system will use an interceptor with exo-atmospheric capabilities.  The system will be deployed on existing AEGIS cruisers and destroyers using the SPY-1 radar and the vertical launch system.  A concurrent concept exploration and advanced technology demonstration program is underway; the concept exploration effort consists of a joint system engineering task force to study available interceptor technologies, such as Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP), Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), Atmospheric Interceptor Technologies (AIT) and Exo-Atmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV).  The advanced technology demonstration of the Standard Missile-X (SM-X) will culminate in technical demonstration flights in 1999 and 2000.  This program will build upon the Navy Area TBMD system, the Standard Missile 2 (SM-2) Block IV, Terrier LEAP flight demonstration and technologies, and the AEGIS weapon system.  Upon completion of the interceptor concept studies and any relevant interceptor/component testing, the Theater-Wide system configuration will be defined.  Engineering and manufacturing development of the Theater-Wide system will begin early next decade.  

User Impact: (U)
(U) To be supplied.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Programmed.
	(U) Decision Point: 02/1998 (2QFY1998).
	(U) IOC: 01/2003 (2QFY2003).
		(U)  This IOC date is an estimate of a possible deployment date based on the start of EMD in the early part of the next century.

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) DSP, Navy Area Defense, Radiant GOLD, SBIRS High

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Ground-Based Missile Defense

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) SPACE CONTROL: NMD/ COUNTERSPACE.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Navy.

Date of Information: (U)
21 November 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)