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MISSION The Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program is developing and fielding a capability to defend the United States against intermediate- and long-range ballistic missile attacks in the midcourse phase of flight. PrOGrAM DESCrIPTION GMD uses a variety of satellites and radars (Cobra Dane Radar, Upgraded Early Warning Radars, Sea-Based X-Band Radar, Forward-Based AN/TPY-2 Radar, and the Aegis AN/SPY-1 Radar) to obtain information on launch warn- ing, tracking, targeting, and discrimination via the Com- mand and Control, Battle Management, and Communica-tions system and the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Fire Control and Communications component. This information enables the Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) to locate, identify, and destroy the incoming ballistic missile warhead. Fire Control and Communications enables the warfighter crew to understand and assess the threat situation, make Ground-Based Midcourse Defense informed decisions, feed information to interceptors to find and destroy incoming ballistic missile warheads, and evaluate mission success. The Fire Control and Communi-cations component consists of the hardware, software, and communications systems necessary for planning, tasking, and controlling the GMD components during threat en- gagements. It collects data from all missile defense sensors, interconnects communications among all components, connects GMD to the overall BMDS, and allows military and civilian authorities to mount a defense against a limited ballistic missile attack. The GBI, comprised of a booster vehicle and an exoat- mospheric kill vehicle, launches into space based on threat identification and command authority. The booster flies to a projected intercept point and releases the exoatmospheric kill vehicle, which uses on-board sensors with assistance from ground-based assets, to acquire the target. The exoat- mospheric kill vehicle performs final discrimination and steers itself to collide with the enemy warhead, destroying it by sheer force of impact. CONTrIBUTIONS TO THE BMDS GMD engages long range threats in the midcourse bat-tlespace using data from the suite of BMDS and exter-nal sensors. Internal GMD sensor data is relayed to the C2BMC for other BMDS missions. GMD is contributing to the development of advanced BMDS capabilities with increased data sharing across the system to more effectively manage BMDS assets and prepare the BMDS to engage next generation threats. GMD is participating in a BMDS test program that is demonstrating midcourse hit-to-kill in a series of ground and flight tests with increasing operational realism and BMDS integration complexity. 2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Initiated integration of Sea-Based X-Band Radar • Completed integration of Fylingdales Upgraded Early Warning Radar • Accelerated GBI builds and emplacements achieving 24 interceptor emplacement • Commenced improved System Discrimination demon- stration employing Forward-Based AN/TPY-2 Radar discrimination data • Initiated European site preparations • Completed successful BMDS flight test resulting in a GBI hit-to-kill intercept of a target launched from Ko- diak Launch Complex • Fielded and demonstrated improved Simultaneous Test and Operations capability • Initiated Missile Field 2 construction at Fort Greely, Alaska • Initiated construction of a third operational launch facil- ity at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California Majority of work for Ground-based Midcourse Defense in the green colored states.