The drive for low collateral damage weapons continues, and one recent focus has been on making air-ground rockets ‘smarter’ by adding seekers. The U.S. has led the way, but Europe is catching up. Rocketsan of Turkey has developed a product; and now Thales subsidiary TDA Armaments is flight-testing a metric precision rocket (French acronym RPM) on the Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter.
Rocketry
June 13, 2013 - 12:00pm
On May 16, at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii, a Raytheon SM-3 Block IB hit-to-kill interceptor was successfully fired by the Aegis-equipped cruiser U.S.S. Lake Erie at a separating short-range ballistic missile target. The FTM-19 test was not only the 23rd successful intercept for the SM-3 weapon, but the third consecutive success for the latest Block IB version. Having achieved three successful strikes in a row, the Block IB is now authorized for production.
November 30, 2012 - 12:00pm
Five days after a ceasefire ended the latest conflict between Israel and the Hamas regime controlling Gaza, in which the Rafael Iron Dome rocket interception system featured prominently, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced the first successful test of a new interception system. The David’s Sling system, or “Magic Wand,” that was co-developed with Raytheon and the U.S.
June 11, 2012 - 7:00am
Futures Day at Farnborough International 2012 on Friday, July 13, is expected to see more than 10,000 young people, aged 11 to 21, being hosted for a full day of visits and activities intended to inspire them to pursue careers in the aerospace industry. A careers fair with conferences, seminars, learning activities and interactive experiences will highlight Futures Day.
March 31, 2010 - 6:52am
The FAA has posted new information for airport workers on how to respond to the scene of an accident involving rocket-propelled ballistic parachute-equipped airplanes such as the BRS system in Cirrus airplanes and other aircraft with parachute retrofits.
June 18, 2007 - 10:52am
U.S.-based TGV Rockets has completed test firings of a 30,000-pound-class throttleable rocket engine that uses JP-8 kerosene fuel. The first phase of testing was conducted over the past two months at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The second phase, focused on gaining more information on the performance of the JP-8 fuel, is under way.
November 22, 2006 - 5:09am
Reno start-up Aerion said yesterday that its board recently approved continued funding of the Aerion supersonic business jet through program launch, the point at which production design and prototype development would begin. “All of our activities to this point have shown that the aircraft is technically and economically viable,” claimed Aerion vice chairman Brian Barents.
October 10, 2006 - 11:20am
Bombardier CL-600-2B19 CRJ, West Grove, Pa., Oct. 17, 2005–The NTSB blamed the accident on the separation of the exhaust nozzle due to inadequately designed attachment hardware.
September 15, 2006 - 6:11am
Reno start-up Aerion, which is developing a supersonic business jet (SSBJ), is evaluating different means of demonstrating full-scale supersonic natural laminar flow performance, including use of a rocket sled. To verify the feasibility of such a test, the company plans to conduct an evaluation test on a supersonic rocket sled at Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, Calif., this summer.
