The US Missile Defense Agency has expanded its investment in hypersonic defense by awarding a $475 million contract increase to Northrop Grumman for the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) program, pushing the total value to $1.31 billion from $832.8 million. The accelerated effort is scheduled for completion by June 2028. Northrop secured the prime role in September 2024, outcompeting Raytheon, while Lockheed Martin had been removed earlier in 2022.
Through an Other Transaction Agreement, Northrop is refining the GPI’s design and preparing to validate its performance in hypersonic environments ahead of the preliminary design review. The program also includes collaboration with the MDA and Japan Ministry of Defense under a bilateral agreement signed in May 2024, with Japan focusing on propulsion and rocket motor development.
Designed to counter emerging hypersonic threats, the GPI will engage targets during the glide phase—when they maneuver at high speeds near the edge of space, beyond the reach of traditional defenses. The interceptor will be launched from Aegis-equipped destroyers and Aegis Ashore systems using the standard Vertical Launch System. Key features include precision tracking seekers, hit-to-kill interception, a restartable upper-stage engine, and multi-altitude engagement capability. The system is projected to reach initial operational capability by late 2029, with full operational deployment in the following decade.
