By Geoff Fein
ATK [ATK] this week successfully tested two unguided Ballistic Trajectory Extended Range Munition (BTERM) rounds, but a rocket motor’s inability to fire on the first of two guided BTERM shots delayed further tests.
The company was set to test two guided BTERM rounds at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., Jan. 22, after the successful test of two unguided rounds. However, according to a source, round three’s (the first guided round) rocket motor failed to ignite. The BTERM round flew approximately 9 miles, far short of the required 62 nautical mile range the Navy is looking for.
“We will analyze that round and pull together data for the customer,” an ATK spokeswoman said.
No date has been scheduled for ATK to test its second guided BTERM round, she added.
Raytheon [RTN] will test its Extended Range Guided Munition (ERGM) next month at White Sands, and will then move to reliability tests in September.
Both BTERM and ERGM are competing for the Navy’s Extended Range Munition (ERM). Only Raytheon, however, is under contract with the Navy.
ERM is a major piece of the Navy’s surface fire support system. The Navy plans to fire the 5-inch ERM from BAE Systems‘ Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun system. The service plans to install the Mk 45 Mod 4 on 32 DDGs, beginning with DDG- 81 (Defense Daily, May 24).