INNOVATION AT MACH 5


hypersonic speeds, and then leaves the expended rocket booster and glides to the target. But in February 2019, experimen- tal hypersonic glide bodies had flown just a handful of successful tests. To field an operational prototype by 2023, an aggres- sive schedule of joint flight tests would be required to evaluate, demonstrate and refine the hypersonic capability before delivering it to operational users. To meet this aggressive flight schedule, design and development efforts had to be able to evolve quickly.


Te technology required for the Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon had three main pieces. One piece was the CHGB: the focus of this article and a joint effort of the Army, Navy, Sandia National Laboratories, Lawrence Liver- more National Laboratory and multiple industry partners. Te second piece was the booster, which would also be devel- oped jointly with industry, the Army and the Navy. Te third piece was the ground support equipment (trucks, launchers and battery operations center) for an Army fires battery that would man the system, which also required industry support to modify and integrate existing and new technolo- gies to achieve new effects.


As part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Conventional Prompt Strike effort,


the services are partnering to


execute hypersonics through the use of a common glide body, missile design simi- larities and joint test opportunities. While the Navy will lead the design of the glide body, the Army will lead production, which includes building a new indus- trial base that can meet the demands of producing the glide bodies on a larger scale than the national laboratories have done in the past.


Within the Army, three separate organiza- tions, including the Rapid Capabilities and


38 Army AL&T Magazine Winter 2021


Critical Technologies Office's (RCCTO) Army Hypersonic Project Office; the Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC); and the Combat Capabilities Develop- ment Command Aviation & Missile Center (DEVCOM AVMC), contributed to the effort. Te Navy Strategic Systems Programs office was responsible for taking over glide body design responsibility from the Office of the Secretary of Defense.


of government laboratories and into a new commercial industrial base for hypersonics in the United States defense sector. Once established, this industrial base would be capable of supporting the glide body production demands of the joint services, both for prototype systems and potential future programs of record.


Sandia increased capacity to support the builds by using, and simultaneously training, industry technicians and engineers.


Across these stakeholders, there was not a complete technical data package, at any level, for the experimental flight units. A technical data package provides the authoritative technical information on a system, including design configuration, performance requirements and applica- ble data and standards. With detailed components such as drawings, specifica- tions and software documentation, the package establishes common ground for engineers and other personnel who are working on different aspects of the same mission. Te technical data package would be critical to the Army efforts to transi- tion the production of the glide body out


After all the challenges, the must-have acceleration and the many “firsts” of the hypersonics program, along came the COVID-19 pandemic. Te dangers of the virus required the government- industry team to rapidly adapt to new working conditions and to implement several creative measures to safely stay on track. Despite all of these complications, however, the Army Hypersonic Project Office set its course, made tremendous strides in the past 18 months and is well on the way to achieving the mission.


TAKING FLIGHT When hypersonics was considered an experiment—before the U.S. adjusted its prioritization and investments in response to great power competition—the typical schedule for hypersonic flight tests was approximately once every three years. Under new priorities, flight tests will occur much more frequently to advance and inform hypersonic development and fielding.


A major milestone occurred on March 19, 2020, when the Navy and Army success- fully executed Flight Experiment 2. Te launch of the glide body, which flew at hypersonic speed and with precision accuracy to a designated impact point, met its objectives. As the Army marches toward fielding the LRHW prototype, joint flight tests will be conducted every six to 12 months. To execute the initial planned tests, Sandia National Laborato- ries is now being asked to design and build glide bodies at a much faster pace.


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