“Raytheon officials say they haven’t researched the ASAT mission and have no opinion about its feasibility. They do note that the AMRAAM derivative isn’t as large or near as energetic as the Raytheon SM3 that shot down an errant NRO satellite earlier this year. However, they note that if launched at Mach 0.85 at 30,000-40,000, the new, 358-lb. missile becomes much more capable against objects at altitudes of 30 kms. or more.
The Air Force general was much more blunt.
“If you put the missile in an F-22 and launch it at Mach 2 and 60,000 ft. while in a zoom and at a 45-degree angle, you’ve got an ASAT capability against spacecraft in low-earth orbit,” he says.”
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By: bring_it_on - 10th April 2008 at 15:20
USA opens talks for new air-launched anti-ballistic missile
The US military has begun talks with contractors to potentially acquire, after 2010, the first air-launched weapon for shooting down ballistic missiles, say industry officials.
The two possible competitors – Lockheed Martin and Raytheon – are proposing variations of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 and AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, respectively.
As well as intercepting ballistic missiles, either weapon may offer military planners the first air-launched missile capable of reaching the edge of space since a US Air Force Boeing F-15 successfully shot down a satellite in 1985 using the short-lived ASM-135 anti-satellite missile. Both contractors are nearing the end of a three-year demonstration period funded by Congressional budget “plus-ups”.
Raytheon’s new weapon – dubbed the Network-Centric Air Defense Element (NCADE) – has demonstrated two critical technologies.
A flight test last December showed that the infrared seeker – adapted from the company’s AIM-9X Sidewinder AAM – can distinguish between the exhaust plume and the body of a ballistic missile.
An earlier bench test also demonstrated the adapted missile’s novel monopropellant, hydroxylammonium nitrate, the fuel for a second-stage rocket motor developed by Aerojet.
This will replace the warhead within the AIM-120 missile frame.
Raytheon has committed to deliver the first 20 NCADE weapons to the US Missile Defense Agency by 2013 for less than $1 million each, says Mike Booen, the company’s vice-president for advanced missile systems. “The power of this system is that we are adapting an existing missile, and that keeps the cost down,” he adds.
But Lockheed claims the air-launched PAC-3 will offer the MDA an even less risky alternative. The modified Patriot will not require the addition of a second-stage booster rocket, or the adaptation of a seeker from a different missile.
Its only unique development item is a missile body canister, which will be jettisoned as a wing store to fire the PAC-3. Lockheed’s concept – called the Air Launched Hit to Kill – is scheduled to conduct a flight test in the second quarter of this year.
MORE BACKGROUND ON THE AIR LAUNCHED PATRIOT –
By: sferrin - 6th April 2008 at 14:08
Just me, I think as part of a team: AEGIS, Patriot, ABL(?) (what else did I miss?) … it would be OK for defending a theater logistics base as one of the above layers.
THAAD and KEI eventually. In theory they’d be able to fly in Patriot/PAC-3, THAAD, ABL, and KEI and have defense against everything from aircraft to ICBMs and satellites (KEI shouldn’t have any trouble in an ASAT role provided it’s got the software). Add F-22s and Aegis into the mix . . .
By: sferrin - 6th April 2008 at 14:07
How does it steer up there?
I was wondering the same thing until I took a closer look at this graphic. Two or four nozzles on the liquid-fueled upper stage would give it steering and roll control. The SDAC gives it divert capability. Thing is though it doesn’t appear to have nearly as sophisticated a seeker so I question whether it would be able to hit a satellite. On the other hand it’s generations ahead of the KKV in the ASM-135 ASAT to who knows. I thought the released video was interesting.
By: ELP - 6th April 2008 at 06:43
Just me, I think as part of a team: AEGIS, Patriot, ABL(?) (what else did I miss?) … it would be OK for defending a theater logistics base as one of the above layers.
By: MadRat - 6th April 2008 at 04:10
How does it steer up there?
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April 1, 2008 at 3:34 am