The Atmospheric Interceptor Technology (AIT) program (formerly Endo LEAP) is focused on demonstrating strapdown seekers and strapdown guidance for very small miss distance intercepts at very high velocities against ballistic missiles within the atmosphere. This is being accomplished by advancing state-of-the-art technologies for small, lightweight, highly integrated kinetic energy kill vehicles (KV). Ground testing cannot fully duplicate the simultaneous interaction of the severe aerodynamic, aerothermal, and aero-optical conditions of hypervelocity flight within the atmosphere. Therefore, flight testing is required to fully validate the integrated technologies. The electro-optical (ISO) flight testing is the impetus of this paper and can be broken down into two major elements: component flights and intercept flights. The component flights are utilized to resolve critical issues which will enable intercept flights, gather phenomenology data, and validate (ISO) window concepts. In the intercept flights, prime contractor KV's will be flown against representative targets to demonstrate hit-to-kill (HTK) with aimpoint selection on the target lethal package. Initial studies indicate that both types of flights can be implemented utilizing boosters, launchers, and the organizational framework of existing interceptor systems.
Endo LEAP Flight Test Planning
1993
9 pages
Report
No indication
English
Military Sciences , Antimissile Defense Systems , Ballistic missile intercept systems , Interceptors , Test and evaluation , Reentry vehicles , Guided missiles , Ground level , Flight testing , Integrated systems , Attitude control systems , State of the art , High velocity , Targets , Guidance , Homing devices , Lethality , Synchronism , Aiming , Strapped down systems , Hypersonic velocity , Booster rocket engines , Kill mechanisms , Atmospheric interceptor technologies , Bmdo collection , U4664 , Ait(Atmospheric interceptor technologies)
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