Lockheed Martin”s Miniature Hit-to-Kill interceptor was successfully tested last Friday at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
The engineering demonstration was part of the U.S. Army”s Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center”s Extended Area Protection and Survivability program.
According to Lockheed Martin the purpose of the test was to prove out the “agility and aerodynamic capability of the MHTK missile, which is designed to defeat rocket, artillery and mortar (RAM) targets at ranges greatly exceeding those of current and interim systems.”
Janice Booth, the program manager at AMRDEC, said, “We still need to review the data gathered, but we are pleased with what we have seen so far,” via press release.
The MHTK interceptor is much smaller, therefore cheaper. It is approximately 2.5 feet long and weighs only about 5 pounds but despite its small size it needs to be able to counter rockets, artillery, and mortar with the same reliability of other interceptors.