Background information of mid-course interception missile

Background information of mid-course interception missile


Xinhua/Globaltimes.cn | January 28, 2013 18:35

The mid-course interception missile is actually comprised of a large booster rocket and interception warhead. The booster is like a carrier rocket, which sends the warhead into the atmosphere while the warhead of the mid-course interceptor is the equivalent of a “small missile”.

This “small missile” is equipped with dynamic, tracking and target recognition systems.  The dynamic system drives the warhead and locks its target; the guidance system compiles its targets data, especially infrared signature. These systems track and identify the target, ultimately guiding the warhead to intercept the oncoming projectile.

The most technologically-advanced component of the missile defense system is the interception warhead. In order to reduce its size the structure was designed to be as small as possible. Since accuracy is of the utmost importance, the guidance system is highly sensitive to movement and finely tuned to maintain a lock on its target.

Employing a fast-burning conflagrant booster rocket is necessary in order to deliver the warhead into the atmosphere as rapidly as possible. However, maintaining accuracy at such high speeds is very demanding. If the margin of error goes beyond the comfortable range of the guidance system, the missile may fail to reach its target. 

 Besides, the mid-course anti-missile system does not only have missiles but also a powerful early warning and monitoring network, which can be used in actual combat.

A ballistic missile reaches mid-course very quickly after being launched. If the system wants to intercept the missile mid-way, it has to identify its target, track and compute its trajectory as fast as possible. After launch, the anti-ballistic missile then is quickly launched and fired on course to release the interception warhead.

Building a perfect mid-course anti-missile interception system is a very complicated project and requires a powerful early warning and monitoring system. The key component of this early warning and monitoring system is a missile early-warning satellite.