Northrop Grumman to build 19 GQM-163A drones for training defenders to fight hypersonic cruise missiles

摘要

Aerial target experts at the Northrop Grumman Space Systems segment (formerly Orbital ATK) in Chandler, Ariz., are building supersonic target drones for the U.S. Navy and Army to help hone missile-defense skills - particularly against hypersonic weapons. Officials of the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., have announced a $57.1 million order to Northrop Grumman to build 195 GQM-163A lot 14 Coyote supersonic sea skimming target base vehicles -16 for the Navy and three for Japan. The Navy will use the supersonic target drones to help surface warship crews practice how to detect and defeat incoming supersonic anti-ship missiles. The Army also uses the Coyote to test and evaluate the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) limited user test target system.