DARPA Falcon HTV-2 The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Raytheon a $20.5 million contract modification fo...
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| DARPA Falcon HTV-2 |
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Raytheon a $20.5 million contract modification for the Tactical Boost Glide (TBG) program.
The TBG program is an DARPA/USAF effort, to develop technologies that would enable air-launched tactical-range hypersonic boost glide systems. The goal is to develop such capabilities in ways compatible with current launch platforms including, potentially, the Navy Vertical Launch System (VLS).
Raytheon intends to develop and demonstrate the technology to enable air-launched hypersonic boost glide systems.
Hypersonic weapons is being researched by U.S., China and India as it is difficult to intercept, and would enable warfighters to strike targets at long range much more quickly than current missile technology allows.
Once fielded, TBG could fly at speeds faster than Mach 5 and at altitudes of nearly 200,000 feet. To achieve the required speeds, the re-entry vehicles would be designed to skip across the inside of Earth's upper atmosphere before descending on their targets.
The new missiles would have to withstand intense heat while remaining highly maneuverable, and would require sensor packages to engage moving or re-locatable targets.
DARPA is also pursuing a Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) joint program to flight demonstrate technologies critical for an effective and affordable air-launched hypersonic cruise missile.
The program is part of US effort to implement its Prompt Global Strike (PGS) strategy that aims to develop a system that can deliver a precision-guided conventional weapon airstrikeanywhere in the world within one hour.
The TBG program is an DARPA/USAF effort, to develop technologies that would enable air-launched tactical-range hypersonic boost glide systems. The goal is to develop such capabilities in ways compatible with current launch platforms including, potentially, the Navy Vertical Launch System (VLS).
Raytheon intends to develop and demonstrate the technology to enable air-launched hypersonic boost glide systems.
Hypersonic weapons is being researched by U.S., China and India as it is difficult to intercept, and would enable warfighters to strike targets at long range much more quickly than current missile technology allows.
Once fielded, TBG could fly at speeds faster than Mach 5 and at altitudes of nearly 200,000 feet. To achieve the required speeds, the re-entry vehicles would be designed to skip across the inside of Earth's upper atmosphere before descending on their targets.
The new missiles would have to withstand intense heat while remaining highly maneuverable, and would require sensor packages to engage moving or re-locatable targets.
DARPA is also pursuing a Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) joint program to flight demonstrate technologies critical for an effective and affordable air-launched hypersonic cruise missile.
The program is part of US effort to implement its Prompt Global Strike (PGS) strategy that aims to develop a system that can deliver a precision-guided conventional weapon airstrikeanywhere in the world within one hour.
