Lockheed Martin: Success in the latest AGM-183A IMV-2 flight test

The USAF took another step towards fielding a hypersonic weapon following its final captive-carry test of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) under a wing of a B-52 Stratofortress off the Southern California coast, Aug 8.

¿What is the ARRW program? 

The ARRW program is a rapid prototyping project aimed at delivering a conventional hypersonic weapons capability to the Warfighter in the early 2020s. The weapon system is designed to provide combatant commanders the capability to destroy high-value, time-sensitive targets and up to date it has successfully completed two captive-carry tests. 

¿When did the development of the ARRW program begin?

The ARRW program development began with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Tactical Boost Glide demonstration system, which will be integrated into the ARRW payload.

¿What entities were involved in the test?

The entities involved in the test of the AGM-183A IMV-2 are the Air Force Test Center enterprise, the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at Point Mugu, the ARRW Program Office and Lockheed Martin. 

¿How resulted the captive-carry test?

The test resulted in the successful transmission of telemetry and GPS data from the AGM-183A IMV-2 to Point Mugu Sea Range ground stations. The test verified system integration with the B-52 launch platform and telemetry while practicing concepts of operations that will be utilized during its first Booster Test Flight later this year.

Boeing, Raytheon and Skunkworks compete for Mayhem: The future USAF multifunction hypersonic missile

The USAF is looking to get a larger-scale expendable air-breathing hypersonic missile, capable of carrying multiple payloads over distances further than current hypersonic capabilities allow, ready not only to attack but also to perform ISR functions, all in one nice modular package, larger than the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).

The future missile should be capable of carrying at least three distinct payloads in a payload bay for government-defined mission sets, and these payloads are to be modular. The new missile would be an air-breathing system –unlike the boost-glide ARRW– but would still use a solid rocket booster to accelerate to hypersonic speed.

The system is officially called the Expendable Hypersonic Air-Breathing Multi-Mission Demonstrator Program, but the USAF refers to it as “Mayhem System Demonstrator" and has solicited proposals from three contractors, namely Boeing, Raytheon and Skunkworks, with contracts to be awarded in fiscal year 2021.

The USAF hopes get to preliminary design review within 15 months, and, as fixed requisite, it should be small enough to be carried by a fighter aircraft as the F-15EX, able to transport a large payload of 7.000 pounds (3.175 kilograms) mounted on the jet’s centerline station. 

El ARRW completa la segunda prueba en el B-52 Stratofortress

La Fuerza Aérea de EE. UU. Y Lockheed Martin han dado otro paso en el desarrollo del programa ARRW: Según un comunicado conjunto, el pasado 8 de agosto se realizó con éxito la segunda prueba en vuelo del ARRW (Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon).

Más concretamente, la prueba consistió en transportar un prototipo del AGM-183A instalado bajo una de las alas de un B-52, con el fin de transmitir datos de telemetría y GPS desde el AGM-183A IMV-2 (IMV=Instrumented Measurement Vehicle) a las estaciones terrestres de Point Mugu Sea Range.

El prototipo de misil no tenía explosivos y no fue lanzado desde el B-52 durante la prueba en vuelo. Se espera que el ARRW esté configurado para alcanzar la capacidad operativa a principios del año fiscal 2022.