Defence Blog: US seeks low-cost interceptors to counter massed missile threats

The U.S. Missile Defence Agency (MDA) has launched a new initiative to develop affordable missile interceptors aimed at countering large-scale attacks, with a target price of under $750,000 per unit.

On August 27, MDA issued a solicitation under its Nimble Options for Buying Layered Effects (NOBLE) program, Announcement No. HQ0860-25-S-0001, inviting both traditional defence contractors and non-traditional firms to submit white papers, Caliber.Az reports, citing Defence Blog.

The request seeks “innovative approaches to rapidly demonstrate very low cost (>$750K per missile), modular interceptor designs to counter ballistic and hypersonic threats.”

According to the solicitation, the effort is focused on concept demonstration using “readily available components and technologies within a very compressed schedule.” MDA said the program aims to rebalance the offence-defence cost disparity by fielding interceptors inexpensive enough to tackle swarms of ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic weapons.

A virtual information session is scheduled for the week of September 15, 2025, and white papers are due no later than September 29, 2025. The program is structured in two phases: a six-month preliminary period followed by a 12-month prototyping and testing phase, reflecting the agency’s goal of rapid integration over long-term development.

The solicitation specifies that proposed designs must be modular and comply with open system architecture standards, allowing components such as sensors, guidance systems, warheads, or boosters to be swapped or upgraded from multiple vendors. “Concepts in response to this solicitation should be modular in design with open architectures, such as Weapon Open System Architectures (WOSA),” the announcement stated.

MDA expressed a preference for designs incorporating commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) or government off-the-shelf (GOTS) components, previously developed subsystems, and low-cost manufacturing practices. By leveraging existing technologies, the agency aims to shorten development timelines and reduce unit costs while maintaining effectiveness against advanced threats.

Minimum capability requirements include the ability to conduct endo-atmospheric engagements against ballistic and hypersonic targets, reach speeds exceeding Mach 5 with ranges over 200 kilometres, and employ a blast-fragmentation warhead guided by a terminal seeker.

Interceptors must allow in-flight targeting updates, manoeuvre sufficiently to hit hypersonic glide vehicles, and be small enough to fit in the U.S. Army’s Patriot M903 launcher or in a quad-pack configuration within a Vertical Launch System. Containerised launchers are also encouraged, provided they meet the same open interface standards.

Control interfaces must integrate with existing launch and mission control systems, enabling the interceptors to supplement current missile defence architectures without major command-and-control upgrades.

The solicitation states that “performance trade-offs will be accepted if they enable reductions in cost and time to fielding,” encouraging bidders to prioritise “reduced cost and schedule” while using legacy components “to maximise warfighter utility and meet minimum capability goals.”

MDA described the Low-Cost Interceptor (LCI) as a supplement, rather than a replacement, for legacy missile defence systems. The initiative is intended to provide an affordable means of defending against swarms of low-cost threats such as supersonic cruise missiles and short- or medium-range ballistic missiles, as well as engaging hypersonic glide vehicles.

By opening the program to both established defence firms and non-traditional entrants, MDA aims to broaden the industrial base for missile defence technology. The agency highlighted modularity, open architectures, and rapid prototyping as central pillars of the initiative.

As threats from adversaries capable of massed missile strikes continue to grow, the push for low-cost interceptors reflects a strategic shift toward affordability and rapid deployment as key elements of U.S. layered missile defence.

By Aghakazim Guliyev