SMDC Wrap-Up

Written by Marty Kauchak

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MSMF 2009 Volume: 2 Issue: 5 (October)

Community leadership provides program
updates at the 12th Annual Space and
Missile Defense Conference.

Defense and industry representatives provided the latest information on their technology and acquisition plans during the 12th Annual Space and Missile Defense Conference. The defense/industry team served notice that it is adjusting its portfolios to the direction of the Obama administration and an increasingly dynamic threat environment.

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS

The president’s fiscal year 2010 budget request for MDA includes funding for a Raytheon-led effort to field a landbased SM-3 missile. The missile would use the AN/TPY-2 for targeting and would be integrated with a modified Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) fire control center.

“Countries like Israel” are the initial deployment target for the system, Pete Franklin, vice president, national and theater security programs, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, said during the conference.

SM-3 (Land) would be a straightforward adaptation of its operationally successful sea-based sibling, the SM-3 Block IA, with vertical launch system tubes installed in a fixed base. The land version is expected to optimize efficiencies from two SM-3 designs that are in spiral development—Blocks IB and IIA.

The missile would provide a “shootlook- shoot” engagement capability for potential missile launch paths.

The SM-3 (Land) program will move forward with the benefit of integrating existing, proven sub-systems—eliminating the development risks of a new hardware program. With that huge advantage, Mike Booen, vice president, advanced missile defense and directed energy, Raytheon Missile Systems, said, “If money was no object, we thought we could get to an initial operational capability in 2013.”

Funding in the FY10 budget was also requested to continue development of another Raytheon program, the Network Centric Airborne Defense Element (NCADE). The evolving missile supports DoD’s courseshift to intercept theater ballistic missiles in their boost and ascent phases—and would provide an endoatmospheric and exoatmospheric intercept capability for the warfighter.

The NCADE missile is based on the advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) airframe. A key element of the NCADE is that it may be carried and launched by any AMRAAM shooter— F-22 Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and manned legacy fighters in place of one or more AMRAAMs. The evolving program is also aligned with the Missile Defense Agency’s urgent requirement to enlist UAVs in BMD missions—providing another deployment option for the missile. “Because the missile is the same weight as an AMRAAM, roughly 350 pounds, it can easily go on the hard points that they already have on the [MQ-9A] Reaper,” pointed out Booen. He continued, “We haven’t done the integration yet, but according to General Atomics [Reaper prime contractor] the AMRAAM-Reaper integration is very straightforward.”

Raytheon has recommended to MDA that NCADE’s path forward focus on two areas. One path would further develop the second-stage propulsion system and would test that stage during a missile shoot. Booen also recalled that the risk of using the missile’s seeker was reduced when it was placed onboard an AIM-9X during a successful December 2007 test. “What we [also] suggested was a nearterm flight test where we put the NCADE seeker on an AMRAAM,” he added.

NCADE’s evolving industry team includes Raytheon Missile Systems for the seeker and ATK for the first-stage. “We are in discussions with both Aerojet and ATK for the potential source for the second-stage propulsion system,” Booen concluded.

Colsa and sub-prime contractor Orion Propulsion are teaming to develop a Multipurpose NanoMissile System (MNMS) for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. The evolving project will provide a production missile that will cost less than $1 million, be capable of transitioning from storage to “launch-ready” within 24 hours and serve as a delivery vehicle capable of performing a variety of low-cost sub-orbital missions of various ranges and altitudes, and inserting a payload of up to 10 kilograms into low Earth orbit. James “HB” Puckett, project manager, MNMS, Colsa, told MSMF, “This is supposed to be a small vehicle that is configurable with a common, bi-propellant liquid booster. These boosters can be put together in a number of different ways.”

The industry team has successfully tested a full-scale engine (2,500-pound thrust). Earlier, successful testing included a sub-scale engine (250-pound thrust) and wind tunnel testing of the entire vehicle system. By April 2010, the MNMS team will have a fully integrated booster that will be flight-like and very nearly flight weight, and expects to conduct a full duration burn in a vertical orientation static test.

Aerojet delivers propulsion systems for BMDS elements including PAC-3 and PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE), and THAAD.

Innovation has been the order of the day in migrating from the PAC-3 to PAC-3 MSE propulsion units. While there are similar capabilities between the MSE and its older sibling, including the outside diameter of the rocket motor, Aerojet is packaging the propulsion contents differently. These include “new grains and new insulation material,” Dick Bregard, vice president of defense programs, Aerojet, told MSMF.

Aerojet also provides a different motor for THAAD than that being delivered for Patriot. “It’s a whole different concept. The THAAD’s motor is much more capable for longer flight—different propellant,” and other components, Bregard noted.

The THAAD program is completing other final testing and development milestones. At the same time, production contracts have been issued to the industry team, including long-lead procurement for batteries three and four.

While Aerojet is providing propulsion systems for the programs’ missiles, the company is also looking downstream to minimize the risk of expanding THAAD’s operational footprint in response to a dynamic threat environment. “There is a need, I understand, to expand THAAD’s footprint, which means increased propulsion. We have demonstrated some capabilities on our own investment to minimize any risk. The final configuration has yet to be determined by all the parties. At least there’s open dialogue about expanding [the footprint],” Bregard said.

BOLSTERING THE WORK FORCE

The academic community is responding to the need to educate a new generation of missile and space system professionals.

The University of Alabama (Huntsville) provides an expanding array of courses for the community’s members. “With a new master’s degree program in missile systems engineering in place and graduate programs in modeling and simulation in the pipeline, the University of Alabama in Huntsville is continuing to respond to the educational needs of the military and contractor communities,” Phillip Gentry, senior editor, university relations, UAH, told MSMF. The university’s mechanical and aerospace engineering department is offering new senior-level coursework this fall in both rocket and aircraft design. Gentry pointed out that students in rocket design will build, test and fly a high-powered rocket with a payload to a specified altitude. “They will design payloads, avionics, recovery systems, structures and other sub-systems and then integrate them into the final vehicle. Students in the aircraft design class will design and build an unmanned aircraft, including avionics, structures, propulsion and payload. Systems engineering, including simulation, scheduling and cost estimation, will be a course emphasis.”

GIVING BACK

Aerojet parlayed a company-sponsored social event into an opportunity to donate funds to military support groups.

The company’s employees made contributions, as requested by the top “winners” from its casino night, to Army Emergency Relief ($1,000), Still Serving Veterans ($500), Wounded Warriors ($250) and Veterans Coalition ($250). ♦