Jane Edwards 
- Lockheed has concluded a key structural test for the NGI second-stage motor
- The milestone keeps the interceptor on track for critical design review
- NGI aims to bolster the U.S. ground-based missile defense capability
Lockheed Martin has completed a critical burst test of the second-stage motor case for the Next Generation Interceptor, or NGI, advancing the program toward its critical design review phase later in 2026.
The company said Tuesday the milestone represents a key step in the missile defense program’s development timeline as it moves toward production.
How Did Lockheed Conduct the NGI Burst Test?
Engineers filled the motor case with a carbon-fiber-reinforced water vessel and pressurized it beyond expected launch conditions. The case withstood the applied loads before failure, confirming the strength-to-weight ratio of the composite structure and its ability to withstand the stresses of launch while generating the thrust needed to carry the interceptor’s payload into orbit.
Christopher Jewell, vice president of Lockheed’s NGI program, said the test result supports the program’s progress toward critical design review.
“This successful burst test is a significant milestone on the path to CDR and brings us closer to fielding NGI by 2030,” Jewell said. “It proves our advanced motor architecture can withstand the harsh conditions of flight and still perform with the precision required to help protect the nation.”
What Is the NGI Program?
Next Generation Interceptor is a Missile Defense Agency program to develop an open-system interceptor built to work within a layered missile defense network that includes space-based sensors, command-and-control systems, radars and other interceptors.
Lockheed said the interceptor’s modular design allows for technology upgrades while it remains in its silo, removing the need to take it out for replacement. The company said NGI is intended to expand the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense architecture and serve as a central piece of the country’s next-generation approach to countering ballistic missile threats.
What Other Factors Are Supporting the NGI Program’s Progress?
Lockheed’s digital design approach allows configurations that once took years of physical iteration to be produced, built and validated within months. The company is also putting capital toward new and expanded manufacturing space in Alabama and drawing on supply chain capacity across the country to support delivery of the interceptor.
In June, Lockheed opened the MAB-5 manufacturing facility in Courtland, Alabama, to support production of the NGI missile defense system.
