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Raytheon has successfully completed the third guided test vehicle flight of its Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2, as well as validating the use of production-representative hardware and upgrading kinematic performance capabilities.
During testing, the RAM missile was launched twice to hit a target and demonstrated its command and control capabilities, in addition to proving its guidance system and airframe capabilities.
Trials follow the recently awarded $51.7m low-rate initial production contract in August to Raytheon for delivery of 51 Block 2 MK-44 Mod 4 RAM guided missile all-up-rounds for the US Navy.
Under the contract, which also has options that bring the total award value to more than $105m, the navy is expected to receive 25 RAM Block 2 missiles during the programme’s integrated testing phase.
Raytheon Missile Systems’ Naval and Area Mission Defense product line vice president Rick Nelson said: "By taking a very aggressive flight-test path during this stage, we are in an excellent position to begin RAM Block 2 Navy integrated testing later this year."
RAM Block 2 is an upgrade of its predecessor and a supersonic, lightweight, quick reaction missile.
Updates to the RAM Block 2 involves a four-axis independent control actuator system, passive radio frequency seeker, a digital autopilot and engineering changes in selected infrared seeker components.
Co-developed and co-produced by the US and Germany under the international cooperative programme, the RAM guided-missile weapon system can strike against anti-ship cruise missiles, helicopter and airborne threats as well as hostile surface craft.
The RAM missile is currently deployed as an integral self-defence weapon onboard more than 100 ships for the navies of Egypt, Germany, Greece, South Korea, Turkey, the UAE and the US.
Image: RAM launcher fires a surface-to-air intercept missile onboard USS Green Bay. Photo: US Navy photo by mass communication specialist 1st class Larry S Carlson.
