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The prime has secured a contract to provide the US Navy with additional sea skimming target vehicles.
Northrop Grumman has been awarded a US$55.4 million ($71.8 million) production contract option for 18 additional GQM-163A ‘Coyote’ supersonic sea-skimming target vehicles, taking the total to 218.
“We are committed to supporting US Navy fleet readiness with our high performance, supersonic Coyote target vehicles,” Rich Straka, vice president of launch vehicles at Northrop Grumman, said.
“Our design integrates a solid-fuel, air-breathing ducted rocket propulsion system with high performance avionics capable of emulating multiple scenarios to prepare and protect our warfighters against evolving threats.”
Northrop Grumman leverages 3D printing technology to build mock-ups and tooling, and to prototype design modifications.
The Coyote program, managed by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, is designed to provide the Navy with a cost-effective target to simulate advanced supersonic anti-ship cruise missile threats.
According to Northrop, the target system can be used as a Mach 2.5+ sea skimming target or as a Mach 3.5+ diving target from an altitude of 52,000 feet.
The target vehicle is also built to perform ‘high G’ turns.
The system was first developed in the early 2000s, and has been successfully launched 81 times.
[Related: Northrop Grumman to ‘prototype’ enhanced sense and avoid systems for Triton]
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