Air and Missile Defense
World-class expertise in protecting the nation and our allies from air and missile threats
Johns Hopkins APL has been instrumental in developing advanced capabilities to defend our forces and allies against aircraft and missile threats. Our world-class expertise in air and missile defense began to take shape with the development of the radio proximity fuze in World War II. Since then, we have continued to respond to emerging and evolving threats through innovative, effective, and affordable air and missile defense solutions. We apply our expertise to make current systems more effective, and we have adapted several technologies for new missions and developed novel technologies for future implementation.
Related Projects
-
![Golden Horde]()
Learn more about Golden HordeGolden Horde
Achieving networked, collaborative offensive weapons systems that will learn from their environment and autonomously work together to defeat integrated air and missile defenses. -
![Deep Space Advanced Radar Concept (DARC)]()
Learn more about Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) Technology DemonstrationDeep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) Technology Demonstration
APL is leading solutions for the Space Force with the DARC technology demonstrator program. -
![Artist's rendering of the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (Credit: (U.S. Air Force)]()
Learn more about Ground-Based Strategic DeterrentGround-Based Strategic Deterrent
APL has a significant evaluation role in the Air Force program to replace the aging Minuteman III system. -
![Radar screen (Credit: Bigstock)]()
Learn more about Testing Air and Missile Defense RadarTesting Air and Missile Defense Radar
APL teamed with industry and the Above Water Sensors Directorate of Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems on two successful tests of the AN/SPY-6(V), a wideband digital beam-forming sensor known as the Air and Missile Defense Radar. -
![September 18, 2013: An SM-3 Block 1B interceptor is launched from the USS Lake Erie during an MDA test and successfully intercepted a complex short-range ballistic missile target off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii. (Credit: MDA)]()
Learn more about Test Target PrototypingTest Target Prototyping
A cross-APL team of engineers, working with the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Target and Countermeasures Directorate and other government and industry partners, develops cost-effective solutions for MDA to support live-fire testing of interceptors, sensors, and fire control systems. -
![APL FSO operators check the monitors on Sea Hunter as a third operator monitors operations.]()
Learn more about Optical Communications at SeaOptical Communications at Sea
We successfully demonstrated a high-bandwidth free-space optical (FSO) communications system between two moving ships, proving operational utility of FSO technology in the maritime environment. -
![A team of APL engineers, working with the Missile Defense Agency and sailors aboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53), an Aegis baseline 9.C1 equipped destroyer, successfully fired a salvo of two SM-6 Dual I missiles against a complex medium-range ballistic missile target, demonstrating the Sea Based Terminal endo-atmospheric defensive capability and meeting the test’s primary objective. (Credit: MDA)]()
Learn more about Standard Missile-3: The Next GenerationStandard Missile-3: The Next Generation
APL led key “end-to-end” system-level performance analysis in collaboration with the government–industry team for the SM-3 Block IIA missile, cooperatively developed by the United States and Japan.
Related News
-
![Joseph Mulé (right) and Paul Mann]()
Learn more about ‘Pathfinder’ Mulé Honored for Missile Defense ContributionsPress Release
Mar 23, 2023‘Pathfinder’ Mulé Honored for Missile Defense Contributions
For a career of leadership and technical contributions to the nation’s missile defense programs, Joseph Mulé has earned the Missile Defense Agency’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Pathfinder Award. He is the sixth Johns Hopkins APL staff member to receive the prestigious honor. -
![The Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance and Control Model 2]()
Learn more about Prototype Planner Offers New Capability for Radar Search PlansPress Release
Feb 7, 2023Prototype Planner Offers New Capability for Radar Search Plans
Submitting a Request for Analysis for AN/TPY-2 radar search plans used to be a long process that produced a limited result, but APL has conceptualized a way to transform a static document into a dynamic computer program, known as a planner. -
![The Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) at Clear Space Force Station in Alaska]()
Learn more about Johns Hopkins APL-Led Study Culminates in Development of Long Range Discrimination RadarNews
Jun 17, 2022Johns Hopkins APL-Led Study Culminates in Development of Long Range Discrimination Radar
Years of APL engineering and technical leadership for the Missile Defense Agency Ground Sensors Directorate culminated last December as Lockheed Martin built and installed the multimission Long Range Discrimination Radar at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska. -
![Mark Landis received the 2022 Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Pathfinder award]()
Learn more about Landis Recognized as an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense PathfinderPress Release
Feb 1, 2022Landis Recognized as an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Pathfinder
In recognition of his significant contributions to the nation’s missile defense capabilities, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) engineer Mark Landis has been honored with the prestigious Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Pathfinder award. -
![]()
Learn more about Three From Johns Hopkins APL Named as Professional Organization FellowsPress Release
Jan 11, 2022Three From Johns Hopkins APL Named as Professional Organization Fellows
Three APL staff members were recently named as fellows to prestigious technical organizations across the country.
