Supporting Efforts

The Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) is a complex system of elements and supporting efforts. The supporting efforts enable the MDA to develop and evaluate technologies that will respond to the changing threat. These supporting efforts are:

  • Airborne Laser Test Bed: The Airborne Laser Test Bed (ALTB) is being developed as an advanced platform for the Department of Defense's directed energy research program.

  • Advanced Technology: Advanced Technology develops new system concepts and key components to ensure the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) keeps pace with the continually evolving ballistic missile threat.

  • Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center: The Integration and Operations Center supports research and development, agency operations, test and evaluation, and operational training for missile defense capabilities

  • Testing: The test program provides critical data to demonstrate the performance of the Ballistic Missile Defense System and its elements. Ground and flight tests demonstrate and assess system capabilities and provide data for advanced modeling and simulation activities that measure and predict the performance of all missile defense technologies.

  • Targets and Countermeasures: The Targets and Countermeasures directorate oversees the design, development, manufacture and integration of threat-representative, reliable, and cost-effective ballistic missile targets and countermeasures for the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) test and assessment program. The program also executes pre and post-test data reduction and identifies target characterization activities necessary to support the Agency’s test objectives.