Raytheon Company successfully tested a hot fire rocket motor for DARPA's Multi-Azimuth Defense Fast Intercept Round Engagement System.

The test for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency was conducted on an undisclosed date at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, Raytheon announced Monday.

The MAD-FIRES interceptor is designed to provide self-defense capability that defeats multiple waves of anti-ship missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, small planes, fast in-shore attack craft and other platforms that "pose a perennial, evolving and potentially lethal threat to ships and other maritime vessels," according to the agency.

The system can combine the speed, rapid fire and depth of a close-range gun weapon system with the precision and accuracy of guided missiles -- including from different directions -- DARPA says.

"The Navy is asking for leading-edge capabilities that can take out rapidly approaching targets, and Raytheon's interceptor for the MAD-FIRES program will deliver," Dr. Thomas Bussing, Raytheon Advanced Missile Systems vice president, said in a company news release. "This test shows Raytheon is right on track to provide an affordable, advanced technology to the fleet."

DARPA said it envisions decreased per-engagement costs by a factor of 10 or more, improved real-time defense against evolving air and surface combat threats with extreme precision, and potential future applicability to air and ground platforms.

In 2017, Lockheed Martin received an $8 million contract modification to support the second phase of MAD-FIRES. The modification brought the contract value to more than $18 million.

Related Links
Naval Warfare in the 21st Century

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

HII awarded $931.7M for LCS planning yard services
Washington DC (UPI) May 02, 2019
Huntington Ingalls Industries has received a $931.7 million contract from the U.S. Navy for planning yard services to support littoral combat ships. The contract, announced Wednesday by HII, includes options for the next six years, and includes work for the company's Technical Solutions division. Most of the work is set to be conducted at the HII facilities in Pascagoula, Miss., and Hampton, Va., though the Technical Solutions support work will be provided at the home ports of individual ... read more