25 October 2001
Raytheon have successfully test fired two AIM-120 Surface Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles as part of its HUMRAAM risk reduction programme. The HUMRAAM system consists of AMRAAMs mounted and launched from a High Mobility Multi-purpose Vehicle.
Elements of the risk reduction programme will provide data and design support necessary to reduce technical risks in the US Marine Corps Complementary Low Altitude Weapon Systems program.
In the first of two Ballistic Test Vehicle (BTV) firings, the Surface Launched AMRAAM was fired at a 90-degree angle off a HUMRAAM launcher. The launcher angle was selected to collect vehicle response data in a worst case- firing scenario that stresses vehicle lateral stability. Preliminary reports indicate all objectives were met, including the collection of missile plume characteristics and quick look data for the second firing.
The second BTV firing was conducted with the launcher rotated to 149- degrees, which assumed the worst case firing scenario for the vehicle cab and hardware. In this test measurements were collected to support a safety engineering assessment of operator survivability for in cab launch.
"This vehicle, built and tested with internal research and development funding, gives us the opportunity to validate our design,'' said Al Riley, director, Medium Range and Short Range programmes at the company's Air/Missile Defense Systems business unit. "It will allow us to provide our Marine Corps customer with an operational capability in a faster cycle.''