{"id":55882,"date":"2018-08-14T17:51:12","date_gmt":"2018-08-14T17:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/14\/space-based-laser-weapons-could-ultimately-take-out-missile-threats-in-boost-phase\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:11:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:11:07","slug":"space-based-laser-weapons-could-ultimately-take-out-missile-threats-in-boost-phase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/digital-show-dailies\/smd\/2018\/08\/14\/space-based-laser-weapons-could-ultimately-take-out-missile-threats-in-boost-phase\/","title":{"rendered":"Space-based laser weapons could ultimately take out missile threats in boost phase"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HUNTSVILLE, Ala. \u2014 The Pentagon is eyeing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.c4isrnet.com\/land\/2017\/11\/16\/congress-signals-focus-of-ballistic-missile-defense-review-in-policy-bill\/\" target=_blank>space-based laser weapons technology<\/a> as the ultimate solution to defeat a missile threat in its boost phase of flight, but the Defense Department is not yet at a point where it has determined the best possible solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWaiting until an adversary is in midcourse [phase of flight] is giving the adversary a free pass to launch,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/pentagon\/2017\/12\/12\/griffin-formally-nominated-for-rampe-spot-while-lord-may-not-need-new-hearing\/\" target=_blank>Michael Griffin, the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering,<\/a> told reporters during a media roundtable at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Advocating for getting after defeating missile threats in their earliest phase of flight, he said: \u201cUntil we\u2019ve studied the problem, I don\u2019t know what the best long-term solution is. \u2026 The best solution may be with directed energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s too soon to pick a winner,\u201d Griffin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the Missile Defense Agency and the Pentagon are already thinking about how to accomplish a boost-phase missile defeat, which has become critical now that Congress \u2014 as part of its fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act signed into law Aug. 14 \u2014 is requiring the Defense Department to study and formulate an initial plan to develop a boost-phase missile defense capability next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And the MDA has to produce a feasibility study on using UAVs and kinetic interceptors by the end of 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/newsletters\/daily-news-roundup\/2018\/07\/30\/congress-says-pentagon-must-come-up-with-boost-phase-missile-defense-plan-next-year\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nasa.jpg_44d5e0.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Congress says Pentagon must come up with boost phase missile defense plan next year<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Congressional authorizers are requiring the Missile Defense Agency director to establish a program that develops the means to intercept hostile ballistic missiles during their boost phase of flight.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have quite a number of people advocating that an F-15 or F-35 or, you pick your aircraft platform, orbiting in a holding pattern off the coast of certain adversaries would give you \u2014 carrying a modified air-to-air missile \u2014 would give you a boost phase intercept capability,&#8221; Griffin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The undersecretary said he agreed it\u2019s possible, but added: \u201cI would go from there and say an unmanned aerial vehicle orbiting possibly at a higher altitude might give you more of a cost-effective solution, and you might consider developing a new air-to-air capability to augment that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That could mean a new munition to get after the task, Griffin said, noting that \u201ca number of contractors have come forward to me already and said: \u2018If we do something like that with a new munition, you can get a fairly cost-effective boost-phase capability against limited threats,\u2019 and I believe that to be true.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But in the longer term, it makes sense to put <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/pentagon\/2018\/01\/18\/griffin-interested-in-airborne-missile-defense\/\" target=_blank>boost-phase interceptors in space<\/a>, according to Griffin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you deploy a space-based interceptor constellation, which is something we\u2019ve studied in excess of 30 years, I think the effectivity is beyond doubt, it\u2019s not technically hard to do,\u201d he said. But \u201cit does represent a substantial policy shift. It\u2019s a new cost not presently in the budget, but we can do it, yeah, easy problem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/smr\/space-missile-defense\/2016\/08\/24\/dod-presses-on-in-pursuit-of-laser-weapons\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/lockheed-martin-laser-test-on-engine.JPG.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">DoD Presses On In Pursuit of Laser Weapons<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Developing directed energy to be used as laser weapons on a variety of platforms has been a huge priority for the Defense Department. Technology has reached a point where lasers aren\u2019t just a cool, futuristic concept but will be vital in future military operations and war.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A boost-phase intercept using a directed-energy weapon \u201chas been this really difficult and highly complex goal we\u2019ve been after for a number of years,\u201d Joseph Keelon, the Missile Defense Agency\u2019s acting program executive for advanced technology, said at the symposium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The MDA\u2019s previous airborne laser program was on a Boeing 747 commercial airliner, he noted. \u201cWe did shoot a missile with a laser &#8230; it can be done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And now Congress is providing funding and support to pursue directed-energy development within the MDA, Keelon said, specifically to support an airborne lower-power laser demonstrator and laser scaling that will lead to the development of directed-energy weapons for missile defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the MDA<a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/congress\/budget\/2017\/05\/23\/ahead-of-ballistic-missile-defense-review-mdas-fy18-plans-show-flexibility\/\" target=_blank> did not request any funding in FY19 for laser scaling for a boost-phase intercept capability<\/a>, Congress is authorizing $50 million to push the effort forward. The effort will allow the continuation of research and development of the three separate laser-scaling efforts, with a goal of demonstrating a 500-kilowatt laser by 2021 and a \u201cbest-of-breed\u2019 1-megawatt laser capability by 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are \u201ca lot of studies, there are those that say we shouldn\u2019t do this,\u201d Keelon said. \u201cI want to tell you why those guys are wrong. Maybe they are right for the first missile, but they are absolutely dead wrong for the second missile, for the fourth missile, the 16th and the 350th missile that comes at the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2017\/11\/07\/coming-in-2021-a-laser-weapon-for-fighter-jets\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"142\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/laser.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Coming in 2021: A laser weapon for fighter jets<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">This laser could enable U.S. Air Force fighter jets to take down missiles more cheaply than current weapons.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keelon also advocated for the use of the Joint Strike Fighter or other aircraft to shoot down missiles in boost phase. \u201cWe need all of our combat aircraft and all of our combat systems to be able to shoot this stuff down in the boost phase in a nasty fight if we get there,&#8221; he said. \u201cJust a thought.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While he is unsure whether an F-35 can shoot down a missile \u201cright now,\u201d Keelon did say the jets \u201cneed to be able to do that, so that is what we need to be able to help the Air Force with.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pentagon officials are trying to anticipate where boost-phase missile defense technology development is headed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":25682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":99,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"9":{"categories":["industry","home","daily-brief","newsletters"],"primary_category":"industry"}}},"categories":[160,29,162,163,36,19,23,99],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3330],"class_list":["post-55882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-digital-show-dailies","category-digital-show-daily","category-military-space-report","category-newsletters","category-pentagon","category-space","category-smd"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"MEQFAAJF6JATNMMEABZUOVEBUM","arc_canonical_url":"\/digital-show-dailies\/smd\/2018\/08\/14\/space-based-laser-weapons-could-ultimately-take-out-missile-threats-in-boost-phase\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Space-based laser weapons could ultimately take out missile threats in boost phase - Defense News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pentagon officials are trying to anticipate where boost-phase missile defense technology development is headed.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Space-based laser weapons could ultimately take out missile threats in boost phase\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pentagon officials are trying to anticipate where boost-phase missile defense technology development is headed.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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