SARH was just for the first prototypes that Lockheed internally conducted intercept tests on back in 2014. Current seeker options being explored are -brar_w, says semi-active homing. How are they going to disseminate and track each target + interceptor, if virtually 10s of such MHTKs are in the air?
Still early days. This is the second phase of the product so they will require 4-6 years to take this from TRL-6 where is is now through to operational capability. Many design changes will likely come along the way.Pending an army decision on an IFPC Inc 2-I Block 2 requirement, however, the company will continue investing in the development of the missile, with tests in the laboratory and flight tests to demonstrate the interceptor's maturity, he said. This includes determining and demonstrating the best guidance options to meet the army's requirement.
Murphy said that MHTK was designed to allow integration of different seekers, to complement the operational requirement. The company initially integrated a semi-active (RF) seeker, which was the main focus of the EAPS ID programme, although the army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center also funded a feasibility investigation for an active seeker in the same form factor. Lockheed is continuing to mature this on internal investment funding, while in parallel evaluating integration of a semi-active laser (SAL) for use with a third-party designator source, and an imaging infrared seeker in the same form factor.
"The SAL seeker has been matured up to the point that it is ready to be flight tested, but the imaging seeker is not quite as mature yet," Murphy said.
Murphy said the company has tested each of these seeker types but will focus on the semi-active RF seeker guidance for MHTK in the near term. "We had an intercept flight test with the semi-active RF seeker back in July 2014, and we learned a lot from that. We will conduct a second company-funded intercept flight test with the semi-active RF seeker in November against a RAM target, while we complete development of the active seeker."
And more from a year earlier to the article above -
The MHTK is understood to be approximately 70 cm (29 inches) in length and 4 cm in diameter, with a launch weight of about 2.5 kg. Lockheed said that "MHTK's effective range [for a single-shot kill] against RAM will be 3 km or more."
While there are no energetics in the missile - as the name suggests it is a body-to-body contact kill system - Lockheed Martin has integrated a 'lethality mechanism' or penetrator package in the MHTK to help penetrate the skin of the target. Murphy noted that "the precision and accuracy that go with hit to kill allow us, if required, to remove the penetrator package and integrate a small warhead, to achieve the effect desired without extensive collateral damage, and this is something that could be explored."
Lockheed Martin has integrated unique amorphous alloy canards, sourced from Liquidmetal Technologies, for the MHTK. To achieve the miniaturised electronics package for the interceptor, Lockheed Martin has sourced a range of technologies for components and packaging from outside of its customary supply chain.
"We've borrowed from the medical imaging industry, from the cell phone industry, and from 'large data farming' industries; we've also leveraged some unique packaging industries to fit the electronics, the batteries, to fit the controllers, the motor and to fit the elements of the seeker into the missile."
Murphy said that Lockheed Martin will offer three guidance options for MHTK: it initially integrated a semi-active RF seeker, which was the main focus of the EAPS programme; the US Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) funded a feasibility investigation of an active seeker in the same form factor.
Lockheed Martin is continuing this work on internal investment and has had some success, although it is not as mature as the semi-active RF seeker development.
The company is also evaluating integration of a semi-active laser (SAL) for use with a third-party designator source. "We designed and built the missile so that we could interchange guidance options; if we wanted to integrate a miniaturised video camera in the front end, and it made sense to do so, we are also able to that."
The interceptor itself is powered by a compact new rocket motor developed by Nammo in the United States. Nammo said the MHTK's narrow 40 mm diameter interceptor body precluded the requirement for any active cooling or heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning devices; its solution focuses on mechanical design innovations combined with the development of a new propellant, and materials able to withstand sustained heat. Nammo declined to disclose the exact compositions used, but said that the kinematic requirements needed a very fast burning propellant that is required "to burn for seconds".
To meet the proposed IFPC Inc 2-I Block 2 architecture, Lockheed Martin will package multiple MHTKs in an all-up round (comprising the missiles and the canister they are launched from). The all-up round fits a single launch tube of the MML and can be shipped in the same canister assembly, thus delivering the missile loadout required by the army, but also minimising the missile's logistics footprint.
Not sure how LM exactly envisioned utilization in a raid scenario, but when they pitched the entire program (EAPS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26_QTDpBd3s ) they did show their TPQ-53 AESA illuminating multiple targets. Of course now the system is owned by the US Army and they are competing components. While the initial increment will integrate Aim-9X with Sentinel for cruise missile defense mission, there is an option for the next phase to have a dedicated radar. This could be the AN/TPQ-53 or it could simply be another AN/MPQ-64 since that radar is getting a GaN AESA antenna upgrade (it's currently a PESA) around early next decade.
They also have plans to scale this interceptor up for more challenging targets. Even air-launched form Helicopters and UAV's is being looked at.