The Multiple Kill Vehicle-L (MKV-L) operational pathfinder seeker for the carrier vehicle was calibrated, Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT] announced.

Calibration was performed in the Space Dynamics Laboratory at North Logan, Utah.

During an engagement with the enemy, the carrier vehicle with its cargo of kill vehicles is designed to maneuver into the threat complex to intercept the targets.

With tracking data from the ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) and its own seeker, the carrier vehicle dispenses and guides the kill vehicles to destroy targets in the complex. Based on a lightweight reflective telescope, the carrier vehicle seeker uses infrared heat-detecting technology to locate threat objects.

"Completion of this milestone validates the design and core technology required for tracking and discriminating targets," said Rick Reginato, MKV program director with Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. "This effort involved the development of telescopes, structures, electronics and software [needed for] mid-course threat sensing."

Calibrating the pathfinder seeker enables the team to proceed with building two operational prototype seekers, each with an infrared, large-format focal plane array. In a series of "captive carry" flight tests planned for next year, the team will mount one of the new seekers on an aircraft to sense missile targets of opportunity in a flight environment.

Lockheed will integrate the other seeker into a hardware-in-the-loop laboratory to demonstrate the ability to engage multiple targets with multiple kill vehicles.

The MKV-L seeker development team for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) includes: Lockheed, the prime integrator; BAE Systems, seeker integration; Utah State University, calibration agent; and the Naval Research Lab and MIT Lincoln Labs, which are providing a pathfinder seeker focal plane and supporting electronics.

Raytheon Co. [RTN] unit Vision Systems and DRS Technologies each will provide 512×512 HgCdTe focal planes for the prototype seekers that BAE will build this summer.

With the MDA MKV, in the event of an enemy launch, a single interceptor equipped with this payload destroys not only the re-entry vehicle but also all credible threat objects, including countermeasures the enemy deploys to try to spoof U.S. defenses. This many-on-many strategy eliminates the need for extensive pre-launch intelligence while leveraging the BMDS discrimination capability, ensuring a robust and affordable solution to emerging threats.

Developing, testing and deploying a layered BMDS for the U.S. homeland, its deployed forces, friends and allies is essential for protecting against ballistic missiles of all ranges in all phases of flight.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. at Sunnyvale, Calif., is the prime contractor for the MKV-L payload system.