US Missile Defence Agency limits foreign bids for Northrop Grumman Kinetic Energy Interceptor programme

International industry has been invited to take part in the Northrop Grumman Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) programme at a far lower level than originally promised and under severe pre-conditions.

KEI was unveiled this year as the cornerstone for a US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) plan to encourage "substantial" participation by "friends and allies", but the scope of support for the international strategy has been whittled away for several months.

A $2.5 billion fund set aside for international participants has been reduced to slightly more than $1 billion. The MDA has also limited international access to the programme to developing alternative versions of the KEI booster rocket and kill vehicle, having eliminated two other components - the launcher and the command and control battle management and communications (C2BMC) system - from consideration, says MDA programme manager Terry Little.

Also, potential international bidders must first secure the support of their national governments for the US-led ballistic missile defence project. First, foreign governments must sign an industrial participation framework with MDA before their companies can compete in the KEI programme. The MDA has agreements in place with three nations - Australia, Japan and the UK - with an undisclosed fourth government close to signing.

Then, Little adds, for foreign companies that are awarded contracts, their host governments must have agreed to split development and production costs evenly with the MDA. Cost-sharing will include in-kind contributions to the overall missile defence effort in lieu of funding.

The MDA is also banning all US companies from joining as subcontractors on foreign-based teams, thereby eluding the jurisdiction of the USA's cumbersome technology-transfer licencing process.

But Little rejects the suggestion that the international co-operation programme has been scaled back, saying a very good offer that costs $3-4 billion may still be supported by the MDA. But he adds: "This is not a case of we're going to accomplish this [international co-operation strategy] or die trying."

If the new strategy proves unworkable or no international proposals qualify for MDA support, the agency may defer the co-operative phase until a long-term project is launched to develop a space-based KEI, says Little.

The MDA plans to award multiple study contracts to international bidders in fiscal year 2006. A decision point on whether to continue the co-operative programme will come soon after the first proposals are submitted at the end of the eight-to-10-month study phase, Little says. Any selected international components of KEI are scheduled to be installed after 2014 - two years later than planned.

STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC

 

Source: Flight International