Interceptor missiles market is projected to chalk out a highly remunerative growth graph over the forthcoming timeframe owing to a rising demand for coastal protection, and the increasing threat of cross-border conflicts and terrorism. Additionally, growing capabilities of several countries in terms of their intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capacities is further calling for the implementation of effective countermeasures, impelling the interceptor missiles market outlook in the process.

Interceptor missiles are anti-ballistic missiles which are basically surface-to-air missiles that are designed to counter ballistic missiles such as intermediate range and intercontinental ballistic missiles that have been launched from a country. ICBMs and intermediate range missiles are generally used to deliver chemical, biological, nuclear, or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory.

Interceptor missiles are also termed as hit-to-kill devices, since they carry something called kill vehicles, which detach from the missile and then try to eliminate the incoming threat. The main aim of these missiles is to eliminate threat by running into it or kinetically. The process has often been compared to a bullet hitting another bullet, considering the high speed at which both the rival missile and the interceptors as well as kill vehicles are travelling.

While some interceptors require a launcher, some interceptors can be launched from road-mobile ships or trucks, or even in-ground silos. The launchers and interceptors could also be carried in a battery that can carry a cluster of interceptors, launchers with their radars, fire control, and kill vehicles.

The market is segmented into surface, component, range, and regional landscape.

Based on component, the market is classified into infrared, radar homing, semi-active lasers, GPS (Global positioning systems), and INS (Inertial navigation system). Among these, GPS segment is set to witness considerable growth in coming years. The systems are based on a navigation system which is satellite based and comprises of a network of nearly 24 orbiting satellites which are 11,000 nautical miles in space in six different orbital paths. The capabilities of these systems to integrate with C4ISR technology is expected to support the market growth during the analysis time period.

Talking of radar homing component segment, it is of two types namely active radar homing and semi-active radar homing missile. Rising demand for autonomous track and lock for fast moving airborne target are supporting the market growth for radar homing segment. Active radar homing missile, which possesses its own radar transmitter that accompanies a receiver. A semi-active radar homing missile only has a receiver and usually requires the firing aircraft to employ its own radar system to assign an enemy object for the missile to eliminate.

From a regional frame of reference, the Europe interceptor missiles market is creating immense demand for interceptor missiles due to the rising number of threats from terrorism and cross-border conflicts. In Latin America interceptor missiles market, there is rising demand for short and medium range interceptor missile for protection of coastal areas, which is pushing the industry outlook further.

Meanwhile, there is rising demand for missiles in Middle East & Africa, which is subsequently giving a rise to collaborative and joint venture efforts between regional manufacturers, creating a effective supply-demand chain that is fueling industry growth.