Multi-Mission Launcher | |
---|---|
Type | short range air defense (SHORAD), Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM), and Multiple rocket launcher |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
Used by | United States Army |
Production history | |
Designer | US Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) |
Manufacturer | United States Army |
Produced | 2016 |
Specifications | |
Elevation | 90 degrees |
Traverse | 360 degrees |
Effective firing range | <3 nmi (5.6 km) for Stinger, <5 nmi (9.3 km) for Hellfire, <22 nmi (41 km) for AIM-9X, <40 nmi (74 km) for Tamir |
The Multi-Mission Launcher (MML) is an open-systems architecture multi-role missile launching system created by the United States Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center.
The MML has its roots in the Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2-Intercept program which also included the development of the Miniature Hit-to-Kill Missile (MHTK). The system is intended to close gaps in the Army's cruise missile, short range air defense (SHORAD) and Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) defenses. [1]
The MML was developed by the Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC). Unusually, AMRDEC served as the prime contractor instead of a private defense contractor; this lowers R&D costs as well as allowing the Army full ownership of the weapon system's source code and intellectual property which significantly lowers sustainment cost. The MML is the first major development program successfully undertaken by the government industrial base in more than 30 years. [2] The Miniature Hit-to-Kill Missile was developed by Lockheed Martin specifically for the MML. Intended to fill the C-RAM role this approximately 2.5 feet (76 cm) and 5 pounds (2.3 kg) missile fits four to a MML pod. [3] Other missiles considered for MML were Expanded Mission Area Missile (EMAM), Israeli Tamir and Stunner missiles, and Accelerated Improved Interceptor missile. [4]
Multiple missiles have been integrated and tested with the system. In 2016 FIM-92 Stinger missiles were launched from a single tube MML at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. [5] AIM-9X Sidewinder and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles launched from a FMTV mounted 15 tube MML were tested at the Army's White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. [2] In April 2016, also at White Sands and using the FMTV mounted MML, the Army evaluated the Tamir missile which serves as the interceptor in the Israeli/American Iron Dome System. [6] Raytheon produces a licensed local version of Tamir missile under the name SkyHunter. [4]
By March 2019, the IFPC requirement had been scaled back to focus on cruise missile threats, while C-UAS and C-RAM defense would be handled by other systems; attempting to combine all missions into one system resulted in technical challenges with the payloads and reloading procedures. This allowed the MML to be made larger to accommodate bigger or more missiles. The IFPC will be part of a layered air and missile defense system, with a battery of MMLs attached to each MSHORAD and Patriot missile battalion to handle higher- or lower-end threats. [7] AMRDEC and CMDS will deliver eight MML systems by the end of 2019. [8]
During testing the MML had issues with reloading and the AIM-9X interceptors were prone to overheating. [9]
Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2-Intercept (IFPC Inc 2-I) is a mobile ground based multi-role weapons system built around the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System with an AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel acting as the prime sensor and truck mounted MML systems as shooters. [10] The acronym IFPC is pronounced "if pick." [11] The Army intends to integrate a 100-kilowatt laser weapon with the system, they awarded a $130m development contract to a joint Dynetics and Lockheed Martin team. Like the MML the system will be integrated with the FMTV. The Army intends to test a full (including laser) IFPC system in 2022. [12] In 2019 the Army announced their intent to field a high powered microwave weapon as part of IFPC by 2024 with a demonstration in 2022. [13]
The MML was planned to be fielded carried aboard a Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles truck; each FMTV carries fifteen MML tubes organized into three five-tube clips. The launcher is highly maneuverable with 360 degrees of rotation and a full 90 degrees of elevation. Each FMTV pulls a standard trailer with a tactical missile data link and a standard 60 kW generator. [14] Development of the platform utilized components from the M1157 Dump Truck and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. [15]
Enduring Shield from Dynetics uses a launcher based on the MML. The stacking system was redesigned to cost less and gains in probability and reducing complexity were also made. Like the MML the Enduring Shield launcher is payload agnostic allowing a wide range of missiles to be integrated into the system. [9] Dynetics' MML-based Enduring Shield design was selected by the U.S. Army over the Rafael Iron Dome in August 2021. [16] A typical Enduring Shield platoon will consist of four launchers linked to one AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel radar via the Army's Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) network; each launcher carries 18 AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles and is deployed off the back of Palletized Load System or Load Handling System trucks. [17] [18]
An anti-ballistic missile (ABM) is a surface-to-air missile designed to counter ballistic missiles. Ballistic missiles are used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological, or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" is a generic term conveying a system designed to intercept and destroy any type of ballistic threat; however, it is commonly used for systems specifically designed to counter intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
The M142 HIMARS – M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System – is a light multiple rocket launcher developed in the late 1990s for the United States Army and mounted on a standard U.S. Army Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) M1140 truck frame.
The Aegis ballistic missile defense system, also known as Sea-Based Midcourse, is a Missile Defense Agency program under the United States Department of Defense developed to provide missile defense against short and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The program is part of the United States national missile defense strategy and European NATO missile defense system.
The IRIS-T is a medium range infrared homing air-to-air missile available in both air-to-air and ground defence surface-to-air variants. It also is called AIM-2000.
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) is the United States' anti-ballistic missile system for intercepting incoming warheads in space, during the midcourse phase of ballistic trajectory flight. It is a major component of the American missile defense strategy to counter ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) carrying nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads. The system is deployed in military bases in the states of Alaska and California; in 2018 comprising 44 interceptors and spanning 15 time zones with sensors on land, at sea, and in orbit. In 2019, a missile defense review requested that 20 additional ground-based interceptors be based in Alaska.
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is an American anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach. THAAD was developed after the experience of Iraq's Scud missile attacks during the Gulf War in 1991. The THAAD interceptor carries no warhead, instead relying on its kinetic energy of impact to destroy the incoming missile.
The Field Artillery Branch is a combat arms branch of the United States Army that is responsible for field artillery.
The AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel is an X-band electronically steered pulse-Doppler 3D radar system used to alert and cue Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD) weapons to the locations of hostile targets approaching their front line forces. It is currently produced by Raytheon Missiles & Defense.
Hypersonic flight is flight through the atmosphere below altitudes of about 90 km at speeds greater than Mach 5, a speed where dissociation of air begins to become significant and high heat loads exist. Speeds over Mach 25 have been achieved below the thermosphere as of 2020.
Iron Dome is an Israeli mobile all-weather air defense system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 to 70 kilometres (2–43 mi) away and whose trajectory would take them to an Israeli populated area. From 2011 to 2021, the United States contributed a total of US$1.6 billion to the Iron Dome defense system, with another US$1 billion approved by the US Congress in 2022.
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a short-range air-to-air missile. Entering service with the United States Navy in 1956 and the Air Force in 1964, the AIM-9 is one of the oldest, cheapest, and most successful air-to-air missiles. Its latest variants remain standard equipment in most Western-aligned air forces. The Soviet K-13, a reverse-engineered copy of the AIM-9B, was also widely adopted.
David's Sling, also formerly known as Magic Wand, is an Israel Defense Forces military system being jointly developed by the Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the American defense contractor Raytheon. It is designed to intercept enemy planes, drones, tactical ballistic missiles, medium- to long-range rockets and cruise missiles, fired at ranges from 40 to 300 km. David's Sling is meant to replace the MIM-23 Hawk and MIM-104 Patriot in the Israeli arsenal.
Missile defense systems are a type of missile defense intended to shield a country against incoming missiles, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or other ballistic missiles. The United States, Russia, India, France, Israel, Italy, United Kingdom, China and Iran have all developed missile defense systems.
The Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) is the anti-ballistic missile component of the United States' Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system.
In air and missile defense (AMD), the Integrated Air-and-Missile Defense system (IAMD) is an SMDC research program to augment the aging surface-to-air missile defense systems and to provide the United States Army with a low-cost, but effective complement to kinetic energy solutions to take out air threats. Brigade level higher energy lasers are used in truck mounted systems called HELMTT. At lower levels, the Army needs to develop interceptors that don't cost more than small, unmanned aircraft systems. In early research they have successfully used 5-kilowatt lasers on a Stryker combat vehicle. The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) was used at MFIX at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the first half of April, 2017.
The Raytheon Coyote is a small, expendable, unmanned aircraft system built by the Raytheon Company, with the capability of operating in autonomous swarms. It is launched from a sonobuoy canister with the wings deploying in early flight phase.
The Miniature Hit-to-Kill Missile (MHTK) is a small air defense missile developed by Lockheed Martin for the short range air defense (SHORAD) and Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM). Like the Israeli Tamir and Stunner the MHTK uses hit-to-kill for the terminal phase of interception.
The Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) is a medium-range surface-to-surface hypersonic weapon for use by the United States Army in 2023. The United States Navy intends to procure a ship/submarine-launched variant of the missile as part of the service's Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) program. The weapon consists of a large rocket booster that carries the unpowered Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) in a nose cone. Once the booster reaches significant altitude and speed, it releases the C-HGB, which glides at hypersonic speeds as it descends towards its target. Dynetics will build the hypersonic glide vehicle while Lockheed Martin will build the booster as well as assemble the missile and launch equipment.
Joint All-Domain Command and Control or JADC2 is the concept that the Department of Defense has developed to connect sensors from all branches of the armed forces into a § unified network powered by artificial intelligence. These branches include the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy, as well as Space Force.
The United States Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense [IAMD] Battle Command System (IBCS) is a plug and fight network intended to let any defensive sensor feed its data to any available weapon system. The system is designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach. IBCS has been developed since 2004, with the aim to replace Raytheon's Patriot missile (SAM) engagement control station (ECS), along with seven other forms of ABM defense command systems. In 2022, IBCS successfully completed initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E), and was approved for full-rate production in 2023.