L3Harris Develops Advanced Ramjet-Powered Interceptor for U.S. Army Drone Defense
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- InterestingEngineering.com
L3Harris Technologies is advancing a new missile interceptor designed to enhance the U.S. Army's capabilities against drones and aerial threats. This initiative is backed by a three-year agreement valued at up to $60 million, focusing on flight performance testing to address the growing challenges posed by small and medium-sized unmanned aircraft.
The interceptor aims to provide a balance between engagement range and operational flexibility, crucial for military air defenses. L3Harris has entered the second phase of the Army’s Xtended Range Counter-sUAS Missile program, which is managed by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center. The company claims its design will offer improved range and speed compared to existing systems, although specific performance metrics remain undisclosed.
L3Harris is integrating an air-breathing ramjet propulsion system with advanced seeker technology to enhance the interceptor's performance. This design is intended to allow for greater engagement distances and improved fuel efficiency, although details on the seeker configuration and operational deployment timeline have not been revealed. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
US Army’s new interceptor targets drones with ramjet propulsion, seeker tech
InterestingEngineering.com · Aamir KhollamThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
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