News | RTX completes technical review for prototype of U.S. Navy's HALO missile | RTX:
**US Navy's HALO Hypersonic Missile: A Crucial Investment for Future Battlefield Dominance**
The US Navy's fiscal 2023 budget request highlighted the next phase of the service's air-launched, ship-killing missile, the Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare Weapon (OASuW) Increment II, also known as HALO or Hypersonic Air-Launched Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare Missile.
As the hypersonic race intensifies, the US Navy is taking strategic steps to maintain its dominance in the face of advanced threats from Russia and China. The HALO missile, with its higher speed and longer range, will provide superior anti-surface warfare capabilities, addressing the evolving near-peer threat capability by FY 2028. The requested $92 million in FY23 will support research and development, including prototyping efforts for a data link.
Hypersonic weapons, which exceed Mach 5, combine high speed with maneuverability, making them nearly impossible to intercept with current air defense systems. The US Navy is simultaneously (along with the Army) developing the Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic weapon, which will be fielded on Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia-class submarines.
The GAO's 2019 report underscored the urgency for the development of hypersonic weapons, as both China and Russia are pursuing hypersonic technology to improve their long-range conventional and nuclear strike capabilities. In conclusion, the US Navy's focus on HALO highlights the service's commitment to staying ahead in the hypersonic race, ensuring its ability to conduct extended-range stand-off strikes against large threats in highly contested environments in future battles.
Joint Effort
The Army and Navy, with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), are partnered by a Joint Service Memorandum of Agreement to produce hypersonic capabilities. The Army/Navy team is executing hypersonics through use of a common hypersonic glide body, common missile design and joint test opportunities. Working together, the team:
- Completed OSD-led Conventional Prompt Strike Flight Experiments to demonstrate the viability of the common hypersonic glide body designed by Sandia National Laboratories.
- Accelerated the delivery of a prototype ground-launched hypersonic weapon to Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. (delayed)
- Demonstrated the launch of the common hypersonic glide body, which flew at hypersonic speed and struck the designated target with precise accuracy.
- Completed the design, development and initial testing of the LRHW ground equipment and delivered it to the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment so Soldiers could begin training.
VTG Awarded $80M Hypersonics Engineering Prime Contract from Navy Strategic Systems Programs
CHANTILLY, Va., Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- VTG, an industry-leading provider of modernization and digital transformation solutions to Defense and Intelligence Community customers, announced today that it has been awarded a five-year $80 million prime contract to provide end-to-end engineering services for the Conventional Prompt Strike program, the Navy's hypersonic strike capability. The U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs awarded the contract to VTG on a sole source basis.
High-speed, long-range missile will provide greater anti-surface warfare capability
TUCSON, Ariz., Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, has successfully completed a technical review and a seamless prototype fit-check in phase one of the U.S. Navy's Hypersonic Air Launched Offensive Anti-Surface (HALO) program. HALO is a carrier-based high-speed missile that will allow the Navy to operate in and control contested battlespaces in anti-access/area denial environments and will support their long-range fires strategy.
"This is a key step in fielding the Navy's first anti-ship hypersonic missile," said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon. "It's critical that our warfighters have proven technology that can address advanced threats in contested environments, and they need this technology now. We're leveraging our expertise in hypersonics to deliver a straightforward and mature, digitally engineered system at the pace the Navy needs."
Digital and physical design concepts and models of Raytheon's HALO prototype were created in a matter of months using digital and model-based engineering techniques. This approach is accelerating the development of the HALO missile. A successful fit check on an F/A-18 was held in the fall, ensuring that the prototype is compatible with the Navy's Super Hornet aircraft and existing support equipment.
Raytheon was awarded a phase one HALO contract in March 2023.
No comments:
Post a Comment