The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has awarded a Northrop Grumman Corporation and Raytheon Company team a contract to provide the U.S. with the ability to destroy hostile missiles at their most vulnerable stage. The 4 (b) billion dollar, eight year Kinetic Energy Interceptors, or K-E-I program, will lead to the planned deployment of a based system by 2012. Ronald D. Sugar, Chairman and C-E-O of Northrop Grumman: �The promise of �global missile defense systems� has been sought for many years. Today, with the threat from rogue nations more serious than ever, it�s critical that we have a missile defense system that can intercept these threats at their most vulnerable point, the boost/ascent stage. Northrop Grumman is thrilled to lead this historical effort in global security. Our expertise, our employees and our low-risk approach have helped make this a victory for everyone.� The boost/ascent phase is when missiles are moving relatively slowly, their location is most predictable and before re-entry vehicles, decoy warheads or other countermeasures can be deployed.