Lockheed Martin [ LMT] yesterday said it recently demonstrated the ability of its Direct Attack Guided Rocket (DAGR) missile to launch from a ground vehicle during a series of flight tests at Eglin AFB, Fla.
DAGR and two Hydra-70 rockets were launched from a pedestal launcher mounted in the bed of a Lockheed Martin prototype Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). DAGR locked onto the laser spot two seconds after launch, flew 5 km down range and impacted the target within 1 meter of the laser spot. The unguided Hydra-70 rockets were launched down the center of the range, and flew 521 and 2,600 meters, respectively.
“DAGR delivers a high-precision defensive capability to the surface combat arena when paired with the pedestal launcher and a mobile ground platform like the JLTV,” said Ken Musculus, director of close combat systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
Lockheed Martin’s pedestal launcher features four M299 launcher rails, associated cables and electronics, providing full compatibility with Hellfire® II and DAGR missiles. DAGR’s rail-mounted canister attaches to the pedestal launch rails as it would on a standard Hellfire launcher designed for aircraft.
“The DAGR flights off the JLTV were internally funded, conducted in parallel with DAGR system qualification test flights held in late 2012 and early 2013,” Mike Dowty, Lockheed Martin Business Development Manager, told Defense Daily.
The Army-Marine JLTV is designed to be a versatile and modular asset, built to accommodate future growth.
“Currently, the U.S. Army is accepting DAGR deliveries, storing the weapons for possible future use requirements, as well as testing, experimentation and evaluation,” a service spokesman told Defense Daily.
“This new method of launching DAGR proves its plug-and-play flexibility and utility to the ground forces,” Dowty said. “As it relates to the JLTV, these tests were intended to showcase our platform flexibility.”
DAGR incorporates proven Hellfire II technology into a 2.75-inch/70 millimeter guidance kit that integrates seamlessly with legacy Hydra-70 rockets. The result is a laser-guided missile that puts a 10-pound warhead within one meter of the laser spot, defeating high-value, non-armored or lightly-armored targets while minimizing collateral damage. DAGR’s lock-on-before launch mode ensures the missile identifies the correct target before launch.
Lockheed Martin has conducted 40 DAGR flight tests from ranges of 1 to 5.1 kilometers. DAGR has been launched from multiple Hellfire-equipped rotary-wing platforms, including the AH-64D Apache, AH-6 Little Bird and OH-58 Kiowa Warrior. It has been launched from the pedestal launcher in three guided flight tests and five flights in total.