National missile defense (NMD) refers to the nationwide antimissile program the United States has had under development since the 1990s. After the renaming in 2002,the term now refers to the entire program,not just the ground-based interceptors and associated facilities.
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is a component of the United States government's Department of Defense responsible for developing a comprehensive defense against ballistic missiles. It had its origins in the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) which was established in 1983 by Ronald Reagan and which was headed by Lt. General James Alan Abrahamson. Under the Strategic Defense Initiative's Innovative Sciences and Technology Office headed by physicist and engineer Dr. James Ionson,the investment was predominantly made in basic research at national laboratories,universities,and in industry. These programs have continued to be key sources of funding for top research scientists in the fields of high-energy physics,advanced materials,nuclear research,supercomputing/computation,and many other critical science and engineering disciplines—funding which indirectly supports other research work by top scientists,and which was most politically viable to fund from appropriations for national defense. It was renamed the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization in 1993,and then renamed the Missile Defense Agency in 2002. The current director is Lieutenant General Heath A. Collins.
The United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) is the Army Service Component Command (ASCC) for United States Strategic Command and United States Space Command. It was established in 1985 as the Army Strategic Defense Command,responsible for ballistic missile defense. In 1992,it merged with Army Space Command to become Army Space and Strategic Defense Command. In 1997,it became an Army Major Command and was redesignated Army Space and Missile Defense Command.
Hypersonic flight is flight through the atmosphere below altitudes of about 90 km (56 mi) at speeds greater than Mach 5,a speed where dissociation of air begins to become significant and high heat loads exist. Speeds over Mach 25 have been achieved below the thermosphere as of 2020.
The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (SAF/AQ) is a civilian position in the Department of the Air Force that is appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. This position is established under Title 10 US Code Section 9016 and is one of five Assistant Secretary positions under the Secretary of the Air Force. The Assistant Secretary reports to the Secretary of the Air Force.
Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS),formerly called Prompt Global Strike (PGS),is a United States military effort to develop a system that can deliver a precision-guided conventional weapon strike anywhere in the world within one hour,in a similar manner to a nuclear ICBM. Such a weapon would allow the United States to respond far more swiftly to rapidly emerging threats than is possible with conventional forces. A CPS system could also be useful during a nuclear conflict,potentially replacing the use of nuclear weapons against up to 30% of targets. The CPS program encompasses numerous established and emerging technologies,including conventional surface-launched missiles and air- and submarine-launched hypersonic missiles.
Frank Kendall III is an American engineer,lawyer and executive who is the 26th and current United States Secretary of the Air Force. He has served in several senior positions in the U.S. Department of Defense. A West Point graduate,he retired as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Army Reserve. From 2011 to 2017,Kendall served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition,Technology and Logistics in the Obama Administration. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering,abbreviated USD (R&E),is a senior official of the United States Department of Defense. The USD (R&E) is charged with the development and oversight of technology strategy for the DoD. The post has at various times had the titles Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering,or Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E). The latter title has itself historically varied between the rank of under secretary and that of assistant secretary.
Paul Joseph Selva is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who served as the tenth vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity,he was the nation's second-highest-ranking military officer,and the highest-ranking officer in the Air Force. He assumed his last assignment on July 31,2015,and retired on August 1,2019. Selva is a command pilot with more than 3,100 hours in the C-5,C-17A,C-141B,C-37,KC-10,KC-135A and T-37.
John Earl Hyten is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the 11th vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2019 to 2021. A career space operations and acquisitions officer,he commanded the United States Strategic Command from 2016 to 2019 and the Air Force Space Command from 2014 to 2016.
The United States Army Futures Command (AFC) is a United States Army command that runs modernization projects. It is headquartered in Austin,Texas.
The LGM-35 Sentinel,also known as the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD),is a future American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile system (ICBM) currently in the early stages of development. It is slated to replace all 450 Minuteman III missiles from 2029 through 2075. The Minuteman missiles are currently stationed in North Dakota,Wyoming,Montana,and Nebraska.
The AGM-183 ARRW is a hypersonic air-to-ground ballistic missile planned for use by the United States Air Force. Developed by Lockheed Martin,the boost-glide vehicle is propelled to a maximum speed of more than Mach 5 by a rocket motor before gliding toward its target. The program was cancelled in March 2023 after multiple failed tests. The program,however,continued despite the cancellation and was announced to still be in development following additional,undisclosed testing. However in 2024 it was announced that in the fiscal year 2025 budget,no funding would be provided for procurement or further research and development.
Stephen G. Purdy Jr. is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration. He previously served as commander of Space Launch Delta 45,program executive officer for assured access to space,director of the Eastern Range,and director of launch and range operations of Space Systems Command.
The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration (SAF/SQ) is a civilian position in the United States Department of the Air Force that is appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. This position is established under Title 10 US Code Section 9016. The assistant secretary reports to the Secretary of the Air Force.
Kathleen Anne Holland Hicks is an American civil servant who has served as the United States deputy secretary of defense since 2021. She is the first Senate-confirmed woman in this role and is the highest ranking woman to have served in the United States Department of Defense.
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is a United States Space Force direct-reporting unit tasked with deploying disruptive space technology. One of the technologies being worked on is space-based missile tracking using large global satellite constellations made up of industry-procured low-cost satellites. The SDA has been managed by the United States Space Force since October 2022. By February 2024 the SDA had 33 satellites on orbit. SDA intends to have at least 1,000 satellites in low Earth orbit by 2026.
Andrew Philip Hunter is an American defense official and policy analyst who is the 14th and current assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition,technology and logistics (SAF/AQ). Prior to becoming an Air Force Assistant Secretary,he was the director of the defense industrial initiatives group at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Before joining CSIS,Hunter spent 15 years as a staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives,and as a senior procurement official at the Department of Defense during the Obama administration.
Joint All-Domain Command and Control or JADC2 is the concept that the Department of Defense has developed to connect sensors from all branches of the armed forces into a §unified network powered by artificial intelligence. These branches include the Air Force,Army,Marine Corps,and Navy,as well as Space Force.
Brian Angelo Denaro is a United States Space Force brigadier general who serves as the director of plans and programs of the Space Force. He previously served as the senior military assistant to the under secretary of the Air Force.
