Missile Defense Agency

Are you a junior or senior in college looking to join a team with a dynamic mission to defend our nation? If so, check out our Summer Intern Program at MDA! Applications accepted through Nov. 6. https://lnkd.in/eFqcPWdk

MDA is always looking for the best and brightest candidates, which led us to the 2024 Job Discovery Fair at the Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico. We had the opportunity to connect with talented students eager to explore career paths with the Department of Defense. Joining MDA at the event were representatives from the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Naval Sea Systems Command and Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport.

Happy birthday, United States Navy!⚓️ We salute 249 years of unwavering service to our nation! #USNavyBirthday #NavyBirthday

Going to AUSA next week? Stop by booth 6320 to meet with MDA's Office of Small Business Programs. https://lnkd.in/gxENZeZ #AUSA

Paul Mann, MDA program executive for Sea-Based Weapon Systems, receives an Arleigh Burke (DDG51) coin commemorating the ship's April 2024 combat operations in the Mediterranean Sea, including the first use of Standard Missile 3 in combat to achieve successful intercepts of ballistic missiles in defense of U.S. allies. Retired Navy Capt. Rick Easton (right) and Rob Jobrack (left) presented the coin on behalf of the Arleigh Burke Association Sept. 30, 2024, the 20th anniversary of initial deployment of the AEGIS BMD system. #ArleighBurke #DDG51 #AEGISBMD #SM3 https://lnkd.in/eTU3erEe

WATCH: USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) engages Iranian ballistic missiles from Eastern Mediterranean Sea, October 1 https://lnkd.in/eC-srAb7

MDA STEM hosts cadets -- U.S. Army Col. William Earl, MDA Director for Warfighter Operational Integration, joins U.S. Military Academy Cadets Chase Ruffing, Kyra Dunnirvine, and Benjamin McDermott prior to receiving their project out-briefs August 9 at Huntsville, Ala. Each summer, MDA hosts select cadets and U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen that participate in MDA's STEM Outreach Program. Participants are immersed in missile defense and select a related project of interest. For more information on the MDA's STEM Outreach Program Office, contact stem@mda.mil.

MDA marks 20 years of Ground-based Midcourse Defense In support of US Northern Command, members of the Missile Defense Agency's Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program have carried out the mission of providing the Warfighter with a reliable, cost-effective capability to protect the U.S. homeland from ballistic missile threats. In January 2002, the White House issued a National Security Presidential Directive for the Department of Defense to deploy an initial homeland defense capability by the end of 2004. As a result of this directive and in record time, the first Ground-based Interceptor (GBI), constructed in Courtland, AL, was delivered to Fort Greely, AK, June 23, 2004. In September 2004, MDA director Lt. Gen. Trey Obering declared a "limited defensive operations" status for homeland missile defense. At the time, this capability consisted of only five Ground-based Interceptors (GBIs) at Ft. Greely and the upgraded Cobra Dane Radar at Eareckson Air Station in Shemya, AK. This operational emplacement marked the beginning of a new era and provided to the United States the ability to defend itself against long-range ballistic missile attacks. Today, the GMD element of the Missile Defense System continues to provide Combatant Commanders the capability to engage and destroy intermediate- and long-range ballistic missile threats in space to protect the United States. Spanning 15 time zones, GMD and its associated systems consist of 44 interceptors in Alaska and California, seven types of land, sea, and space based sensors and multiple fire control systems. Due to our adversaries continued investment in offensive systems, MDA is investing in improvements to the homeland missile defense architecture to include development of the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) and the Long Range Discrimination Radar. Today, MDA and the Department are continuing to upgrade GBIs through the limited and time-bounded Service Life Extension Program while production for NGI ramps up. The strategy includes delivering new capabilities to the Warfighter using a sustainable approach that continues to leverage existing GBI assets. Once fielded, NGI will be capable of defeating expected threat advances into the 2030s and beyond. Of course, the success of our existing and future capabilities depend on the men and women who develop, test, operate, and integrate them in coordination with our allies and partners around the world. These include the Warfighters from the 49th Missile Defense Battalion and the 100th Missile Defense Brigade, as well as the members of the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense. Together, they keep a watchful eye on the skies and stand ready to defend our Homeland at a moment's notice. While the GMD system has provided a protective layer to our way of life for 20 years, the MDA will remain diligent in providing required upgrades and developing new capabilities for the Warfighter to continue protecting our country.

MDA, in coordination with the Japan Ministry of Defense, will proceed with Northrop Grumman Corporation to continue development of the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI). With this decision, MDA took another step closer toward its goal of delivering a glide-phase layer of regional hypersonic defense. https://lnkd.in/gB4rayvw

Phil Hansen, MDA's program manager for the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor, spoke on Sept. 18 during the second day of the @IDGA Hypersonic Weapons Summit held in Bethesda, Md. Hansen provided an overview of the HBTSS system and its importance to hypersonic tracking and defense.