Cintel will develop and evaluate architectures to optimize engagement and intercept of multiple threat assets by long-range ballistic missile interceptors with affordable, robust engagement algorithms. Desired lethality levels are driving system designs that leverage increasingly complex subsystems. This increase in complexity incurs an increase in cost (per-interceptor cost). The innovation presented here will achieve the desired lethality levels by leveraging advanced system architectures rather than advanced systems. By pursuing novel engagement capability, cost effective systems performing at or above desired standards can be utilized. These alternative capability concepts include, but may not be limited to, leader-follower guided missiles, collaborative or cooperative guided missile engagements with multiple interceptors, learning algorithms for guidance of multiple missile interceptors, and optimization of multiple guided missiles for distributed lethality. Therefore, the Cintel team will create a set of tools allowing the tradeoff analysis of different engagement architectures. This will require the definition of new objective functions to enable the optimization of architectures. The key deliverable for this Phase I effort will be the definition and evaluation of key defensive/offensive missile architecture concepts with performance valuation for each concept. Additionally, preparation for Phase II will include a proposal on a concept down-selection and maturation plan.
