(GPI) PROJECT -
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
News: Explained: What is the Glide
Phase Interceptor (GPI) programme?
What's in the news?
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In response to escalating worries regarding
adversaries deploying sophisticated armaments such as hypersonic missiles,
Japan is dedicating resources to the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) Project, a
collaborative endeavor with the United States.
Glide Phase Interceptor
(GPI) Project:
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The Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) Project is a
collaborative effort between the United
States and Japan to develop a missile-intercepting system.
Important Takeaways:
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Traditional Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
(ICBMs) follow a parabolic trajectory driven by gravity after separation from
their booster.
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In contrast, hypersonic weapons separate from their
booster and accelerate towards the Earth using gravity. They then transition
into a flatter trajectory known as the glide phase.
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During the glide phase, hypersonic vehicles travel at speeds exceeding five times the speed of
sound on unpredictable trajectories.
Challenges Posed by
Hypersonic Weapons:
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Hypersonic weapons fly at relatively low altitudes
(20 to 80 km) during the glide phase.
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They have the capability
to navigate around areas containing known missile defense sensors, making
tracking difficult.
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Ground-based radar systems face challenges in efficiently tracking hypersonic missiles due to their speed and
trajectory unpredictability.
Objectives of the GPI
Project:
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The GPI Project aims to provide regional defense against hypersonic missiles.
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Specially modified missiles will be launched from
surface warships to engage and destroy incoming hypersonic missiles.
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The intercept will occur as the hypersonic missiles
glide through the boundary between space and Earth's atmosphere.
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The intercept during the glide phase provides the
optimal opportunity to neutralize the threat before the missile enters its
final high-speed descent.