ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. military researchers needed a weapon data link radio to help steer hypersonic weapons to their targets. They found their solution from the BAE Systems Electronic Systems segment in Merrimack, N.H.
Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., announced a $4 million contract to BAE Systems last month to develop two weapon data link prototypes for test and integration of the future hypersonic Tactical Boost Glide (TBG) vehicle.
The TBG program is a joint DARPA and U.S. Air Force effort to develop technologies for future air-launched, tactical-range hypersonic boost glide systems.
Boost glide uses a rocket to accelerate a weapon payload to high speeds, after which the payload then separates from the rocket and glides unpowered to its destination. The TBG data link radio will provide weapon tracking, fire control, and situational awareness as it helps steer hypersonic munitions to their targets.
Systems that operate at hypersonic speeds of at least five times the speed of sound (Mach 5) and beyond offer the potential for military operations from longer ranges with shorter response times and enhanced effectiveness compared to current military systems, DARPA officials explain.
Such systems could provide significant payoff for future U.S. offensive strike operations -- particularly as adversaries’ capabilities advance. The TBG program has three primary objectives: vehicle feasibility, effectiveness, and affordability.
Vehicle feasibility seeks to develop aerodynamic and aerothermal performance, controllability, and robustness for a wide hypersonic operational envelope. Effectiveness seeks to develop subsystems necessary for hypersonic munitions. Affordability seeks to reduce costs and increase value of TBG research.
TBG is a two-phase effort that plans to include ground and flight testing to mature critical technologies, and aims to demonstrate system performance. The program builds on previous boost glide systems research.
For more information contact DARPA online at www.darpa.mil/program/tactical-boost-glide, or BAE Systems Electronic Systems at www.baesystems.com.
