The GPI announcement was made on 18 August by both the Japanese MoD and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) as US President Biden was hosting Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol at Camp David.
During the January 2023 Security Consultative Committee (“2+2”) meeting, the United States and Japan concurred with beginning discussions on potential joint development of a future interceptor.
Based on subsequent studies, the U.S. Department of Defense and Japan Ministry of Defense decided to initiate a Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) Cooperative Development program as an important part of implementation for the 2023 U.S.-Japan bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Projects (RDT&E).
The development of a counter-hypersonic capability is a pressing need for both countries to address challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, including the emergence of offensive hypersonic and other sophisticated missile capabilities for potential acts of coercion. The GPI co-development will build upon long-standing U.S.-Japan missile defense cooperation and strengthen the Alliance deterrence posture.
About GPI
The Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) is a missile defense program that is designed to destroy incoming hypersonic missiles during their glide (unpowered) phase of flight, between the launch phase and the terminal phase. The GPI program is aimed at knocking down hypersonic missiles during the glide phase of flight when it’s skimming space — the longest phase of flight between launch and “terminal” phase — before they reenter the atmosphere. GPI will include new interceptors as well as modifications to the Aegis Weapon System needed to launch them
The Missile Defense Agency has tapped Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to compete in developing the GPI. Raytheon Missiles and Defense was awarded $20.97 million; Lockheed Martin, $20.94 million; and Northrop Grumman, $18.95 million, according to MDA’s contract announcement.
In Japan, the GPI is likely to be fitted aboard the future ASEV – Aegis System Equipped Vessels – of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
Update 08/21/2023:
It was brought to our attention that Lockheed Martin is not in the running for the GPI competition anymore. This is because they have not received any sort of funding since the original OTA (other transaction agreement).
