Army testing missiles that can change course

[unhappycamper]

Army testing missiles that can change course
By Kris Osborn - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Dec 5, 2007 20:22:10 EST

FORT BLISS, Texas — The Army has begun initial test firing of prototypes of a next-generation precision land missile that is able to be redirected toward new targets while in flight and can hit targets on-the-move up to about 24 miles (40 kilometers) away, Army officials said.

The Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System (NLOS-LS), slated to field with other Army Future Combat Systems’ so-called spinout technologies by 2010, is designed with both GPS and infrared guidance systems. Tested at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., the NLOS-LS launcher carries 15 Precision Attack Missiles (PAM) able to fire on targets; they are 117.5-pound projectiles designed with a semi-active laser seeker and automatic targeting, said Army Col. Douglas Deaver, NLOS-LS program manager.

“The PAM is designed to hit a moving target, which takes us to the next evolutionary step for missile systems. It is also designed so that once the missile is in the air, a soldier can use his laser and lase two spots to get the track of the missile. He can tell the missile while it is in flight to keep adjusting where it is looking. Then the missile will switch to IR (infrared) at the end and get the optimum hit,” Deaver said.

Unlike most precision munitions now in the Army's arsenal, which fly a specific pre-determined course to a target, the PAM missiles can change course in-flight.

“With the PAM missile we can actually tell it which way to fly. You can fly it down the middle of the road in Baghdad and hit a target on the other side of town. We can shape the trajectory and use waypoints to guide it all the way," Deaver said.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/army_missiles_071205/



uhc comment: Meet the $1,100,000,000 Non-Line-of-Sight Launch System (NLOS-LS)

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/net-fires.htm

The NLOS-LS, previously known as NetFires and as the Advanced Fire Support System, is a technology demonstration program focused on beyond line-of-sight fires for the Army's Future Combat System. The program was formerly DARPA (NetFires) managed using combined DARPA-Army S&T funding. On March 19, 2004 NetFires LLC, which was established by Raytheon Missile Systems and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control was awarded a $1.1 billion, six-year contract for the System Design and Development (SDD) phase of the NLOS-LS.

The NLOS-LS program is developing and testing a containerized, platform-independent multi-mission weapon concept as an enabling technology element for the FCS. The NLOS-LS provides rapid response and lethality in packages requiring significantly fewer personnel, decreased logistical support and lower life-cycle costs, while increasing survivability compared to current direct fire gun and missile artillery. The original concept was called "Rockets in a Box."


http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/netfires.html

The Lockeed Martin flavor




The Raytheon flavor





http://www.defense-update.com/products/n/netfires.htm

The HUMMV carrier