A next-generation missile has been in the works at aerospace tech company Lockheed Martin. Now, the company's novel next-gen missile, the Extended-Range GMLRS (ER GMLRS), was reportedly able to pass a flight demonstration test held at New Mexico's White Sand Missile Range, which is known to host the first atomic bomb detonation in the world.
Next-Gen Missile Passes Flight Demonstration Test
The innovative missile was fired out of the HIMARs multiple rocket launcher of the US Army. It was able to travel 93 miles, or 150 kilometers.
According to Jay Price, the Precision Fires vice president at the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, explains in a statement that the flight demonstration showed that the missile's range was equivalent to nearly double that of current munition. He mentions that the flight test shows that the range was nearly doubled all while the precision that the GMLRS is known for was maintained. The company is dedicated to boosting this crucial capacity on a rapid timeline for its military customers. This recent test is a step forward for the ER GMLRS towards fielding.
The ER GMLRS is said to successfully reach the identifying criteria during its first 150-kilometer flight demonstration. These include the deployment-to-impact accuracy and its enhanced range.
Aside from this, the company reported that the product successfully got integrated with HIMARS and had a generally impressive score in terms of missile performance.
Before the launching, the rocket pod also underwent a Target Sequence (STS) testing, which examines the ER GMLRS' cumulative outcomes in the field between the launch and factory for the system's life.
As such, this method for testing is meant to simulate conditions of the real world. These cover temperature changes, transit jostlings, and other conditions that it may encounter during operations. While a rocket that can perform well in a laboratory setup is a good sign, rockets that are ready for mass-production and actual battle settings must be able to operate in realistic conditions.
Lockheed Martin's Projects
Aside from the construction of the warhead alternative rockets and GMLRS unitary, the company has been able to make over 60,000 rounds for GMLRS. As such, these solutions were made available to the US Marine Corps, US Army, and other global customers.
The said systems were also crafted and devised at the company's Precision Fires Center of Excellence in Arkansas.
NASA has also included Lockheed Martin in its lineup of companies for the development of novel solutions and technologies for the agency's coming Moon-Mars mission. More specifically, Lockheed Martin will aid in the development of in-space technologies for specific thermoplastic composites. This material is expected to be cost-effective and to require minimal energy for production in space.
Read also: NASA's X-59 Spacecraft: Lockheed Martin's 'Quietest' Aircraft's First Flight Approaching Soon
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