Northrop Grumman : to Support US-Japan Glide Phase Interceptor Cooperative Development Agreement

CHANDLER, Ariz. - May 22, 2024 - Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) will support the US-Japan cooperative development agreement to build capabilities defending against hypersonic missiles, strengthening overall missile defense deterrence.

Northrop Grumman is working closely with Japan to develop a counter-hypersonic capability to address the emergence of hypersonic and other sophisticated missile capabilities. (Credit: Northrop Grumman

"We are combining the technical strength of our two countries to develop an effective counter-hypersonic solution," said Mike Pinkston, vice president of launch vehicles, Northrop Grumman. "We are committed to investing in technology that delivers the capabilities our customers need now to respond to growing threats."

Under the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) Cooperative Development agreement, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Northrop Grumman will collaborate with the Japanese Ministry of Defense and its industry partners to develop elements of the interceptor. The Japanese-provided systems will be integrated into the GPI All-Up-Round.

The agreement stems from the 2023 U.S.-Japan bilateral Memorandum of Understanding for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Projects and builds upon an established relationship between the U.S. and Japan.

Built on more than 60 years of mission-proven missile defense experience, Northrop Grumman provides full scope-missile defense capabilities to include missile interceptors and test targets, coupled with secure communications, missile warning, and advanced space domain awareness.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers' toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.