Produced by the Monterey Institute's Center for Nonproliferation Studies

Updated July 2008

The United States is currently developing the BMD systems described in the chart below. Two basic technologies are being actively pursued today: anti-missile interceptors and lasers mounted on aircraft. Individual BMD components differ in the range of the missiles they are intended to defend against (short-range/theater or long-range/intercontinental), the size of the area they can protect (a point target or a wider area), and the stage of flight at which they intercept the incoming missile (boost phase, midcourse, or terminal stage). However, each of these components is scheduled to be part of a much larger layered defense system designed to offer comprehensive protection against a variety of missile threats. The United States is also conducting research on more advanced space-based antimissile systems.

Proposed Ballistic Missile Defense Systems

Most of the BMD systems currently under development use a kinetic-kill vehicle to destroy the incoming missile or its warhead. The payload of the defensive missile smashes into the incoming missile warhead at very high speed to destroy it. The exception is the airborne laser, which would use a laser beam to destroy an enemy missile shortly after launch, during its boost phase.

Arms Control Association, "U.S. Missile Defense Programs at a Glance"

Missilethreat.com, "Overview of Ballistic Missile Defense"

CRS, Steven Hildreth, "Ballistic Missile Defense: Historical Overview "

U.S. Missile Defense Agency website