Lockheed Martin Advances Missile Interceptor Task Toward Critical Design Review

The Missile Defense Agency has completed the first Knowledge Point review of Lockheed Martin’s progress on the Next Generation Interceptor program, part of a ground-based missile defense network designed to protect the United States against long-range missile threats.

According to Lockheed, KP1 was accomplished ahead of schedule in November following the program’s All Up Round Preliminary Design Review in September. The completed evaluations advance NGI to the Critical Design Review, the program’s next engineering milestone, Lockheed said Wednesday.

The MDA checked in LP1 Lockheed’s design review milestones, maturation of critical technologies, manufacturing readiness and the company’s NGI software plant.

In November, Lockheed announced the opening of a $16.5 million Missile System Integration Lab at its campus in Huntsville, Alabama, for NGI development, testing and system integration.

Sarah Reeves, Lockheed’s NGI vice president, said KP1 proved that the company has achieved “a level of maturity unprecedented” at the current NGI stage. With the MDA’s milestone approvals, Lockheed will continue testing its integrated NGI hardware and software to prepare for production and flight tests, she added.  

Another NGI contractor, Northrop Grumman announced in early February the completion of the initial All-Up Round Preliminary Design Review of its missile defense system, with a demonstration of test hardware, including rocket motor and avionics.