Ground-Based Interceptor is a three-stage, solid fuel booster with an Exo-atmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV). When launched, the booster missile carries the EKV toward the target's predicted location in space. Once released from the booster, the EKV uses data received in-flight from ground-based radars and its own on-board sensors to close with and destroy the target warhead well outside Earth's atmosphere using only the kinetic force of the direct collision to destroy the target warhead.
Interceptor missiles are emplaced at Fort Greely, Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. A total of 30 interceptors were deployed at the end of 2010.
