US Plans to Shoot Down ICBM

On June 16, 2006 Boeing Co., Wichita, Kan., was awarded a $150,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price and cost reimbursable contract. This contract provides for supplies and services to be procured for new weapons integration established by the Air Force Program Management Directive 2220 98 PE 11113F for B-52 Program Support Management Plan. With an estimated total contract value of $150,000,000, the Smart Weapons Integration Next Generation contract will cover a 12-year period, with an initial requirement of $1,582,300. It will consist of a development demonstration contract that will modify the aircraft's weapon delivery software. Aircraft modifications will be required to integrate each new weapon onto the B-52. The planned initial requirement will complete the integration of the Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD). Subsequent contract modifications will support Air Force initiatives for spiral development of other weapons in the class, such as Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range and MALD Jammer. An undefined number of additional contract modifications will support totally new weapons, such as Small Diameter Bomb and Boost Phase Interceptor). At this time, $1,582,300 has been obligated. This work will be complete December 2020. Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity. (FA8107-06-C-0001)

The primary mission of the air-launched kinetic energy boost-phase interceptor (BPI) is the neutralization of theater ballistic missiles while they are still thrusting and have yet to deploy submunitions or decoys. Development of BPI, a joint Air Force and Navy program, was under the direction of the SMC. A demonstration of the BPI system was to be conducted near the end of the 1990s. This joint-service (Air Force, Navy, Army, BMDO) effort, sponsored and implemented by the operational user and material development communities, was intended to demonstrate the technology and integrated systems necessary to support the deployment of an air-launched, hit-to-kill missile system by the end of fiscal year 1999. The Air Force was the lead service and had the acquisition responsibility.

a reply to: AnonyMason

Another one of those "hey this is a good idea" things, that turned out to only be a good idea on paper. The B-52, as it is now, wouldn't be able to get any closer than the 747 could have against most defenses without blowing a major hole in them first.

a reply to: dragonridr

Wasn't the percentage rate of successful interception by patriot missiles was actually in the single digit range and not the high success rate that was reported during the first Iraq war?

a reply to: wickd_waze

Yes and no. They hit a number of missiles, but frequently left the warhead intact, so didn't do a lot of good at actually stopping the missile.

They've improved them a lot since them. The PAC-3 is almost a different missile.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Patriot used in Gulf War of 1991 was version of Patriot 2 - somebody said "Hey maybe this thing can shoot down a missile"

Enhancements in software allowed it to intercept

Unfortunately the long range SCUDS used by Iraq, made by cannibalizing other missiles, using 3 SCUD to make 2 long range
versions by lengthening fuel tanks and lightening warhead (sometime to only 125 kg explosives) often broke up on
descent.

Instead of one target had cloud of debris . Also in missile defense found that the speed of incoming target meant
high explosive shrapnel type of warhead were ineffective . Missile warhead would be past the interceptor
by time warhead exploded and shrapnel deployed

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks for information and clearing that up. Its good to know they're performance is better.

a reply to: firerescue

The largest radar return happened to be somewhere mid body, so on the ones that they hit, they tended to hit below the warhead, which would break the body apart and destroy the missile, but left everything above it intact. So you still had a live warhead coming down. So it wasn't really doing much good to hit the missile, because it still went boom.