
The Senate Armed Services Committee’s (SASC) draft FY ’19 defense authorization bill would require the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to develop a space-based missile defense intercept layer regardless of what the upcoming Missile Defense Review (MDR) calls for.The Senate panel’s provision withdraws the statutory flexibility on this variety of boost-phase intercept capability provided in the FY ’18 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which said the MDA should start working on the capability only “if consistent with the direction or recommendations…