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Missile Defense Agency (MDA)

A part of the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for developing, testing, and fielding a ballistic missile defense system.

Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)

The United States' system designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles while they are in the middle part of their flight.

Ballistic missile

A missile that follows a curved, unpowered flight path, similar to a thrown ball, once its engine burns out, typically used for long-range attacks.

Cruise missile

A guided missile that flies within the atmosphere and uses jet engine power for most of its flight, often flying at low altitudes to avoid detection.

Hypersonic weapon

A weapon that can travel at speeds of Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) or higher and is highly maneuverable.

Second-strike capability

The ability of a country to retaliate with nuclear weapons after having been hit by a first nuclear attack.

Middle-Tier Acquisition (MTA)

A faster process used by the Department of Defense to quickly develop and field new technologies that are relatively mature, bypassing some traditional acquisition steps.