Boeing completes expansion of missile defense silos at Fort Greely

Boeing has finalized the construction of 20 additional missile silos at Fort Greely, Alaska, enhancing the U.S. Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system's capacity to counter intercontinental ballistic missile threats from nations like North Korea and Iran. This expansion increases the number of interceptors that can be housed at the facility from 40 to 60. ​

The GMD system, operational for over two decades, is designed to detect, intercept, and destroy long-range ballistic missiles during their midcourse phase of flight. Boeing, as the prime contractor, oversees the integration and sustainment of all GMD components. ​

The expansion project at Fort Greely began during President Donald Trump's first term and continued under the Biden administration. In fiscal year 2017, the Pentagon and the Missile Defense Agency reprogrammed funding to increase the number of ground-based interceptors from 44 to 64, necessitating the construction of the new missile field, per ​Defense News

Recently, Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced the Increasing Response Options and Deterrence of Missile Engagements (IRON DOME) Act, aiming to further bolster the nation's missile defense capabilities. The proposed legislation seeks to expand the GMD system at Fort Greely up to 80 missile silos and considers establishing a similar site on the East Coast of the continental United States. ​

The MDA is currently evaluating whether the newly constructed silos will house additional ground-based interceptors the next-generation interceptor currently in development to replace ground-based interceptors, or a combination of both.