The goal of the MDA Systems business area is to build mission assurance for the MDA community. MDA interceptor systems continually require mass reduction at the component level to meet system level performance requirements. Through the use of advanced materials, SDC provides the customer with weight saving solutions that meet the Technology Readiness Level for insertion at the end user. With several SBIR and directly funded development projects, SDC has taken components from basic research to first unit production. In the process, SDC's test facility has been used to quantify the performance of these components to validate the design and correlate analysis models.

SDC personnel experience in MDA technology goes back to the early 1980's when Star Wars was originally conceived. SDC personnel participated in the development of technology for the Early Re-entry Intercept System (ERIS) with the introduction of high modulus graphite fibers for primary kinetic kill vehicle structures in both resin and metal matrix composites. The technology development followed the evolution of the interceptors from ERIS to Brilliant Pebbles, to the Ground Based Interceptor (GBI), the Ground Based Mid-course Interceptor (GMD) and finally the Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV). Similarly for endoatmospheric interceptors, technology development was performed for HEDI, THAAD, Patriot Upgrade, which became PAC3, and the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI). The technology development included development of advanced materials for primary structures and thermal protection systems for both payloads and boosters, development of multi-functional electronic enclosures, development of telescopes used on exo-atomospheric interceptors (carbon-carbon mirrors and telescope structures), composite bulkheads, and booster skirts.