DARPA today explained that the Operational Fires (Op-Fires) program test was executed at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The DARPA release claims that the system met all of its test objectives. This included the inaugural use of a U.S. Marine Corps 10-wheel Logistics Vehicle System Replacement truck as a medium-range missile launcher, as well as the demonstration of missile canister egress, stable flight capture, and use of U.S. Army inventory artillery fire control systems to initiate the test mission.
Op-Fires aims to develop and demonstrate a ground-launched missile system, enabling hypersonic boost-glide weapons to penetrate modern enemy air defenses and rapidly and precisely engage critical time-sensitive targets from a highly mobile launch platform. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is leading the program, which is focusing on missile design, launcher development, and vehicle integration. The Lockheed Martin-led Op-Fires team which includes Northrop Grumman, Aerojet Rocketdyne and Electronic Concepts & Engineering, Inc.
DARPA’s Op-Fires hypersonic weapon program to demonstrate a long-term solution for the Army’s medium and long-range capability, Northrop Grumman innovative variable-range rocket motor now enables Op-Fires to deliver payloads across the mid-range spectrum with a single, hypersonic missile,” said Jason Reynolds, vice president of Advanced Programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles.
The test was conducted in cooperation with lead contractor Lockheed Martin. The complete system includes components from other companies, such as a rocket booster that is designed and supplied by Northrop Grumman. That very rocket booster, paired with the unpowered hypersonic boost-glide vehicle warhead fitted to the top, is then used to propel the boost-glide vehicle until it reaches the intended speed and altitude. Once the parameters are met, the vehicle detaches from the booster and glides along its atmospheric flight path on its way to engage the target at hypersonic speed. While the speed is certainly notable, so is the boost-glide vehicle's relatively level flight trajectory and its ability to maneuver significantly while flying along that path.
The Op-Fires program. During the test series, the company demonstrated the solid rocket motor’s ability to terminate thrust on command. Conducted in May at the US Army’s Redstone Test Centre in Huntsville, Alabama. The Aerojet Rocketdyne solution provides for a high-performance, solid-fuel ‘throttleable’ rocket motor that can be turned off before burning through all of its fuel, potentially allowing a missile to hit targets located anywhere within a medium-range.
The DARPA)/ Op-Fires surface-to-surface tactical hypersonic weapon system development program. In addition to solid rocket motor boosters, Aerojet Rocketdyne provides a broad range of capabilities to support hypersonics, including scramjets and warheads. Having provided both the liquid and solid propulsion systems that powered the US Air Force-DARPA to hypersonic flight success, Aerojet Rocketdyne is now developing lightweight and robust solid rocket motor cases and incorporating additive manufacturing into its high performance air-breathing systems. Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion systems, both liquid- and solid-fueled, have been at the heart of virtually every major U.S. space and missile programs.
The announcement made by DARPA revealed that this entire process was executed successfully during the test and that other program elements were also validated, including the first stage rocket motor, missile canister, and missile round pallet (MRP). According to the release, the implementation of a palletized launcher is meant to eliminate the need for a custom-built OpFires transporter erector launcher (TEL). This will allow the missile to be ground-launched from other suitable U.S. military trucks beyond the LVSR, which is a goal of the OpFires program.
U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps inventory,” said Lt. Col. Joshua Stults, the DARPA program manager for OpFires. “Our successful agile hardware development approach prioritizes full-scale flight testing and more.
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