WSMR Hosts Successful Miniature Hit-To-Kill Flight Test

Photo By Michael A Smith | The Miniature Hit-to-kill interceptor missile leaves the launcher during a test at White Sands Missile Range Jan. 26. The MHTK is being developed by Lockheed Martin to intercept small threats like rockets, mortars, artillery, and unmanned systems and used WSMR as the location for the test.  

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, NM, UNITED STATES

02.01.2018

Courtesy Story

White Sands Missile Range Public Affairs

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. (Feb. 1, 2018) – White Sands Missile Range demonstrated its world-class test range capabilities when it hosted Lockheed Martin’s successful Miniature Hit-to-Kill missile test Jan. 27. The test consisted of a controlled flight to demonstrate the interceptor's increased agility, was the first successful test with the MHTK's updated electronics and the second for the interceptor's next-generation airframe.

“WSMR has been working pretty diligently to track the missile,” said Steven W. Roberts, the WSMR test officer for the MHTK test. “Everything went so smoothly with this test.” Roberts added they have worked the coordination for the test for the past three months and since 2013 on
new formats designed to collect data on the fast missile that can reach speeds up to Mach 2.

Calibration tests have been performed where model rockets were used to test their collection of data. Roberts said they have vastly improved in terms of data recovery for such a fast missile. The successful test advances the program's technical maturity level and builds confidence in
the interceptor's ability to defeat current and evolving threats. Roberts said every MHTK flight test in the test cycle takes place at WSMR due to the range’s unique capabilities and restricted airspace.

"The U.S. Army and international customers have made it clear today's global security environment demands agile, close-range solutions that protect warfighters and citizens from enemy rockets, artillery and mortars," said Tim Cahill, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, in a Lockheed Martin news release. "The design of the MHTK interceptor enables a highly-effective solution in a very compact package. We look forward to building on this success." WSMR provides test mission support including optics, radar, telemetry, communications and a four-person team at the launch pad during the mission. Prior to the customer’s arrival, Roberts
said he and his team spent a week prepping the site. “We make it so that when they arrive it’s just a matter of them setting up their equipment,” he said.

The MHTK uses hit-to-kill technology, which destroys threats through an extremely accurate application of kinetic energy in body-to-body contact. Hit-to-kill technology eliminates the incoming threat while reducing the risk of collateral damage. The MHTK interceptor is less than two-and-a-half feet long and weighs about five pounds at launch. The missile has the potential to bring miniaturized capabilities to the warfighter which lowers costs and reduces logistic footprints.

• Date Taken: 02.01.2018
• Date Posted: 02.08.2018 19:35
• Story ID: 265308
• Location: WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, NM, US