The first air-to-air intercept of a ballistic missile target by a missile defense system took place in the skies over the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico on Dec. 23. A U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter launched two air-to-air (AIM-9X) missiles and successfully intercepted a rocket during its boost phase.

The two-stage air-to-air missiles employ a new liquid propellant in their second-stage rocket motor enabling them to reach the velocity necessary to intercept missiles in their initial boost stage. This type of missile defense launched from a fighter jet within 100 miles of a missile launch adds robustness and redundancy to an already-layered missile defense system. Not only can the AIM-9X destroy missiles in the boost phase, it is also effective in the descent and terminal phase of a ballistic missile.

This missile defense system is called the Network Centric Airborne Defense Element (NCADE) and can be carried by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and current and future manned U.S. aircraft such as the F-15, F-16, F/A-18, F-22, and F-35 — as well as aircraft of other countries.

At present, the U.S. has deployed a very limited layered missile defense system comprised of land-based Patriot 3 systems that can destroy short-range missiles in their terminal phase as well as sea-based Aegis SM-3 missiles that can destroy short- and medium-range missiles in the mid-course phase. There is also a more substantial land-based element that can destroy the faster, longer-range missiles in the mid-course phase. However, none of these deployed systems have the capability to intercept and destroy a missile in the boost phase.

Currently, the government is investing in the future development of several boost-phase systems of which the Airborne Laser (ABL) is the primary element. It will have the capability to stand off more than 500 miles and fire multiple shots from a chemical laser at the speed of light. Other future boost-phase elements include the Kinetic Energy Interceptor with a high-acceleration booster rocket system. All of these future boost-phase missile defense systems have mobility and high velocity as their key common trait.

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