Compact Future Interceptor Conducts Successful Flight Test

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A successful initial ballistic flight test of the new M-SHORAD Future Interceptor from a Stryker Maneuver SHORAD Launcher (MSL) was conducted by Lockheed Martin.

The future interceptor leverages the company and government technology investment in a 6 ft-class hit-to-kill interceptor designed to defeat unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and cruise missiles.

The company Missiles and Fire Control operated the test on 14 November at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

“The 5 inch diameter interceptor fits in the same envelope as the AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missile currently being integrated on the MSL for the US Army’s Stryker-based interim manoeuvre SHORAD [short-range air-defence] capability, and provides significantly more range and manoeuvrability,” a company spokesperson told janes.com. “The internally funded test objectives were to demonstrate key technologies, vehicle stability, and range. The Interceptor performance matched our predictions.”

Tim Cahill, Vice President, Integrated Air and Missile Defense, at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control said: “We’ve designed a medium-size hit-to-kill for what we believe will be the [US] Army’s range requirement for an M-SHORAD missile. The imperative of M-SHORAD is range and capability in the size of a missile that is manageable and affordable; Stinger is performance limited, other missiles are too long. So I believe it should be a hit-to-kill missile for M-SHORAD, and we will follow the PAC-3 MSE formula for both future land and sea applications,” he added.