The review was conducted at the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala., and attended by the NMD Joint Program Office leadership, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization officials, and user command and operational test agency personnel.

"We're extremely pleased to have reached this milestone only 15 months after contract award," said Dr. John Peller, Boeing NMD LSI program manager. "The team has made outstanding progress as indicated by the successful review."

Currently, the Boeing NMD LSI design architecture meets all requirements as set forth in the Systems Requirement Document. Additionally, the design is robust enough to meet or adapt to an increased level of potential threats and challenges.

The NMD program involves the development and testing of a potential system to detect, track and destroy incoming Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles before reaching the United States of America. The system is designed to protect all 50 states against a small-scale attack.

The Boeing Company, as prime contractor, is responsible for the development and integration of the NMD elements, including the Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI); X-Band Radars; BMC3; Upgraded Early Warning Radars; and interfaces to Space-Based Infrared System satellites.

Major team members of the NMD LSI program include Raytheon, responsible for the GBI kill vehicle and NMD radars; TRW, developing the BMC3, and Lockheed Martin, responsible for providing the Payload Launch Vehicle to be used in the initial intercept flight tests.

The NMD LSI contract was awarded to Boeing in April 1998.