US missile defence programmes emerge fairly well in the Pentagon's Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) budget request, with USD9.7 billion for ballistic missile defence (BMD) projects marking only a small decrease from the USD10.4 billion requested in FY12. The budget includes USD 1.3 billion for manufacturing and development of SM-3 Block IB interceptor missiles. These interceptors are a key element of the Aegis BMD system and the US' European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) programme that is intended to protect assets and allies on the continent. While some BMD projects are to see cuts or delays, Department of Defense (DoD) Comptroller Robert Hale said investments would be protected in EPAA projects as well as "homeland missile defence systems" - presumably referring to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system.
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