Alliant Techsystems (ATK) has completed delivery of 42 advanced solid rocket motors to Lockheed Martin for use in the U.S. Army's Line-of-Sight Antitank (LOSAT) weapon system. After additional flight test qualifications, the program is scheduled to begin Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) in 2004.
ATK's contract with Lockheed Martin could lead to approximately 1,500 additional motor deliveries through 2011. The motors are produced at ATK Tactical Systems, Rocket Center, W.Va.
"ATK's sophisticated motors give LOSAT and our troops the capability to defeat heavy armor, including enemy main battle tanks at distances beyond the enemy's range," said John Shroyer, president, ATK Tactical Systems. "The delivery of the first 42 advanced solid rocket motors is a testament to ATK's capabilities and clears the way for additional missile testing and system flight qualification efforts this year."
The highly air-mobile LOSAT weapon system is a kinetic energy missile mounted on the Army's High-Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) chassis. It is designed to support early-entry force missions to defeat both current and predicted future armored combat vehicles at distances beyond their firing ranges.
Three of the 42 motors delivered under the Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration contract were used in successful flight demonstrations last summer, including two engineering flight tests and the first production qualification test (PQT). The PQT test marked the first time LOSAT was tested against a moving target, and was the first of eighteen tests scheduled under the PQT phase.
