Army Picks Martin for Star Wars Device

Martin Marietta Corp. said it was selected by the Army Strategic Defense Command to negotiate a contract to design and test a ground-based interceptor.

A system for the Strategic Defense Initiative, or Star Wars program,. GBI will be designed to destroy enemy ballistic missiles by force of impact in mid-flight or just before they re-enter the atmosphere.

The contract, which is expected to exceed 4100 million, calls for the design, fabrication and test of Martin Marietta’s concept for the GBI, which is a derivative of the company’s space-based interceptor developed for the Strategic Defense Initiative.