The Defense Department (DoD) recently said the first flight test of the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW) concept vehicle was successfully conducted recently by Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command.
DoD considers the test a success, as were two previous tests completed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a spokeswoman said.
The AHW is one concept DoD is using to develop and demonstrate hypersonic boost-glide capabilities, the spokeswoman said. DoD is investigating technologies and concepts that are potentially useful in the development of strategic-range conventional capabilities, through modeling and simulation, ground tests, and flight experiments.
Mission requirements for future AHW flight tests are in process.
The Nov. 17 test used a first-of-its-kind glide vehicle, designed to fly within the earth’s atmosphere at hypersonic speed and long range. The vehicle was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii to the Reagan Test Site, Army Kwajalein Atoll, DoD said in a statement.
The objective of the test was to collect data on hypersonic boost-glide technologies and test range performance for long-range atmospheric flight. The mission emphasized aerodynamics; navigation, guidance, and control; and thermal protection technologies.
A three-stage booster system launched the AHW glide vehicle and successfully deployed it on the desired flight trajectory.
The vehicle flew a non-ballistic glide trajectory at hypersonic speed to the planned impact location at the Reagan Test Site.
Space, air, sea, and ground platforms collected vehicle performance data during all phases of flight. DoD will use the data collected to model and develop future hypersonic boost-glide capabilities.
The AHW program is managed and executed by the Army SMDC/ARSTRAT program office in Huntsville, Ala. The booster system and glide vehicle were developed by Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M., and the thermal protection system by the Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center, Huntsville, Ala.
DoD is using AHW to develop and demonstrate technologies for Conventional Prompt Global Strike (CPGS). As part of the CPGS effort, DARPA conducted boost-glide flight tests in April 2010 and August 2011, and the results used in planning this AHW flight test.