The Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) is the intercept component of the Ground Based Interceptor (G BI), the weapon element of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System. Its mission in the defense of the nation is to engage high-speed ballistic missile warheads in the midcourse phase of flight and to destroy them using only the force of impact, or hit-to-kill.

EKV consists of an infrared seeker in a flight package used to detect and discriminate the incoming warhead from other objects. The EKV also has its own propulsion, communications link, discrimination algorithms, guidance and control system and computers to support target selection and intercept.

Characteristics of the EKV

• Weight: approx. 140 lbs (64 kg)
• Length: 55 in (1.4 m)
• Diameter: 24 in (0.6 m)
• Speed of Projectile: Roughly 10 km/s (22,370 mph)