I have been looking for videos of kinetic warheads or solid divert and attitude control system testing, but I have been unable to come up with much. Does anyone know of another website that has videos that are different from these?
LEAP in mid-80’s, and SM-3 SDACS ground testing in late-90’s (2:00-2:40):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vUEwc6egmg
Japanese version of the KW for the SM-3 Block II in 2006:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63gqPvWbkMg
Advanced version of the LEAP, tracking, hover, and roll testing, during the mid to late-90’s (You have to sign up to the site to view the video. The footage is from 6:20-7:20 in the video, and is really good):
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm1284773
Short video of the LEAP in 1994:
http://www.mda.mil/mdalink/html/video.html#gmdvid.ANC
This is all I can find. I’m surprised there are not more videos of kinetic warhead testing, since there are dozens of videos around of SM-3 and other ABM booster testing and firing. I really want to see a video of the Raytheon/Aerojet EKV on the GBI during testing, so if anyone can find one, please post it!
Thank you.
By: sferrin - 10th November 2007 at 23:18
These might interest you. Not sure what they did with “Atmospheric Interceptor Technology” as it doesn’t look like anything they’ve talked about. Also I’d almost forgotten one of the earlier KKVs and that’s the Minature Homing Vehicle of the ASM-135 ASAT. Given it’s size (not much bigger than LEAP) and the level of tech they were working with it’s amazing they were able to knock down a satellite with it IMO.
By: sferrin - 10th November 2007 at 22:33
Definitely one of those things that make you go “hmmmm”. The extra length is where the nose cone would normally go and it’s jettisoned before the SDACS fires up so the balance wouldn’t be the same if it were just simulating a missing component. I suppose it could be there in place of the IR telescope but it’s definitely a puzzle as there is no room for a longer KKV. The current one’s telescope sits right behind the tip of the nose cone that is jettisoned and the SM-3 fills the VLS cell so there’s no room for it to get longer.
By: zeroyon04 - 10th November 2007 at 21:36
that “Japanese version” is actually the same KKV the SM-3 has always used. Japan makes the new nose cone, the KKV. . .well you know how the mainstream media is. 🙂
I’m surprised to hear that the Japanese version of the KW is the same one that is in the current SM-3 Block 1A. It seems to me that it is much longer, has less thrust, and does not use pulse-mode like the LEAP did and current SM-3 KW does. They look completely different to me.
Current KW in SM-3 Block 1 missiles:
Japanese version:
Thanks for all of those acronyms though, I’ll keep a lookout for them.
And yes, I know that not all use solid propellant. The EKV on the GBI uses a monomethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide liquid propellant, and has gigantic divert thrusters as well 😀
By: sferrin - 10th November 2007 at 21:31
that “Japanese version” is actually the same KKV the SM-3 has always used. Japan makes the new nose cone, the KKV. . .well you know how the mainstream media is. 🙂
As for the KKVs well, there are a lot that have been tested (both in flight and in the labs) over the years. Some acronyms to look for include:
HOE
ERIS
Brilliant Pebbles
LEAP
KITE (The KKV of the endoatmospheric, terminal phase ABM HEDI based on Sprint)
THAAD
SM-3
MKV
BTW “SDACS” simple refers to the solid gas generator used for propulsion in several KKVs. Not all use solid, some use liquid propellant.
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November 10, 2007 at 8:40 pm