The Army is on track to receive delivery of 16 Dynetics [LDOS]-built prototype launchers for its Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 program before the end of fiscal year 2023, a spokesperson has confirmed to Defense Daily
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The ongoing delivery timeline for the IFPC Inc. 2 prototype launchers will support starting system-level testing in the second quarter of this fiscal year, according to the spokesperson for the Army’s Program Executive Office Missiles and Space.
The Army awarded a $237.4 million prototyping deal to Dynetics in September 2021 for IFPC Inc. 2, which aims to field a new ground-based mobile system capable of defeating cruise missile and drone threats (Defense Daily, Sept. 24 2021).
Dynetics’ Enduring Shield launcher capability beat out a team of Israel’s Rafael and Raytheon Technologies [RTX] offering a version of the Iron Dome system, with the Leidos-owned company tasked with delivering 16 launchers and 60 interceptors under the IFPC Inc. 2 prototype deal.
Following an operational assessment, which the PEO Missiles and Space spokesperson confirmed is scheduled for the second quarter of FY ‘24, the Army plans to have available an initial operational battery of 12 IFPC Inc. 2 launchers.
The update on the program’s delivery and testing timeline follows the Army’s release earlier this month of a new Request for Information seeking industry’s insight on capabilities that could serve as a second interceptor solution for IFPC Inc. 2 (Defense Daily, Jan. 17).
The current interceptor that is part of Dynetics’ Enduring Shield solution for IFPC Inc. 2 is Raytheon’s AIM-9X Sidewinder missile.
The RFI detailed the Army’s interest in a second interceptor for IFPC Inc. 2 that would be capable of taking out supersonic cruise missiles and large caliber rockets, with a goal to have a technology demonstration around fiscal year 2025.
“The Army’s intent is to leverage the IFPC system architecture and achieve maximum operational flexibility with both the AIM-9X and the second interceptor solution,” the PEO Missiles and Space spokesperson said in a response to a question from Defense Daily on whether the Army intends to replace the AIM-9X or potentially utilize two interceptors for IFPC Inc 2.
The RFI also calls for a rough cost estimate for potential solutions if the Army plans to procure 8,000 interceptors over a 10-year production period.
“In accordance with the Army’s modernization strategy, the Army is seeking a second interceptor for the IFPC Inc. 2 system to provide capability growth and address emerging threats. The new interceptor will utilize an open system architecture approach to establish lethal kinetic effects against select targets within the IFPC Inc 2 threat set, specifically supersonic cruise missiles and large caliber rockets,” the PEO Missiles and Space spokesperson said.