Army putting pieces together for cannon that fires hypervelocity projectiles for battlefield air defense
THE MIL & AERO COMMENTARY – U.S. Army aerial defense experts are working with industry to develop a hypervelocity gun system able to destroy or disable high-priority targets like incoming missiles or mobile weapons launchers.
The future Hypervelocity Gun Weapon System (HGWS) will have three primary parts -- a special 155-millimeter cannon able to withstand the pressures of launching munitions at hypersonic speeds; a hypersonic artillery shell with precision guidance; and a radar system able not only to detect incoming threats, but also to communicate with the hypersonic artillery shell to guide it to its targets.
Army experts got the project started in early July by issuing requests for information for the Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP); the Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon (MDAC); and the Multi-Function Precision Radar (MFPR). Industry was asked to respond to these initial requests for information by 24 July 2024.
The HGWS is to be a small, flexible hypervelocity projectile able to shoot from an Army M144 155-millimeter howitzer, as well as and Navy 5-inch deck guns on destroyers. The project is run out of the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) at Fort Belvoir, Va.
The HVP prototypes must be compatible with the Multi-Function Precision Radar (MFPR) and Hypervelocity Gun Weapon System (HGWS), to be delivered under separate projects. Delivery of the HPV prototypes must be no later than fall 2027, with demonstrations set for 2028.
The HVP prototypes should fire from rifled and smooth-bore 155-millimeter cannons; interface with Army-provided off-board sensors to intercept the incoming threat; interface with a data transmission device to receive pre-launch mission data; maintain projectile maneuverability through interception; keep flight time to a minimum; be powerful enough to shoot down fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters; UAVs; and cruise missiles. Army officials also are interested in rapid ammunition resupply, as well as supportability, safety, and cyber security.
The Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon (MDAC) will be designed to shoot down enemy manned and unmanned aircraft, missiles, and artillery shells with hypervelocity projectiles. The MDAC air defense prototype will be a wheeled self-propelled 155-millimeter artillery system able to shoot the Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP). The HVP and its sister subsystem, the Multi-Function Precision Radar (MFPR), are being developed under separate projects as part of the future Hypervelocity Gun Weapon System (HGWS) program.
The MDAC will interface with an external Army-furnished Command and Control Battle Manager (C2BM) and the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS). The Army wants a company to build and deliver MDAC prototypes using existing fielded and mature technologies. MDAC will be air-, rail-, and sea-transportable per MIL-STD-1366; will be able to move rapidly for survivability; have automated high rates of fire with HVP; and have emote weapon firing; have deep magazine capacity, rapid ammunition resupply, and high operational availability. Companies interested also will demonstrate supportability, safety, and cyber security. The MDAC project also calls for a new propelling charge that makes the most of muzzle velocity performance.
The Multi-Function Precision Radar (MFPR) should perform not only search, detection, and precision tracking of incoming threats, but also provide Army hypervelocity projectiles with the ability via datalink to navigate, fuze accurately, and possibly even provide battle damage assessment.
The multi-function radar would provide accurate and low-latency detection of hostile threats and help guide future Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon System (MDACS) projectiles at long ranges and in bad weather conditions like heavy rain, snow, wind, and dust. MDACS is to be new development program next year for air and missile defense against cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft.
The MFPR must be accurate enough to help the hypervelocity projectile intercept incoming threats. What's significant is the hypervelocity projectile does not have an onboard seeker. Hypervelocity projectiles fly through the air at speeds of 8 or 9 times the speed of sound. Hypersonic munitions and aircraft travel at least five times the speed of sound.
Developing this kind of multi-function precision radar technology has the potential to help drive down the costs of air- and missile-defense munitions by enabling these weapons to operate without expensive onboard seekers and guidance systems.
The MFPR should perform in an operational band that is available or could be available for military use worldwide; provide precision radar track data to support projectiles in flight via a communications link; provide long-range high-precision angular coverage for search detection; be able to detect threats and friendly projectiles; operable in high-clutter environments; interface with government-furnished command and control; and demonstrate supportability, safety, and cyber security.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
