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Port Hueneme Division Develops and Tests Remote Launch Capabilities for the MK 41 VLS

NAVSEA News Wire

Release Date: 12 May 2003

By NSWC Port Hueneme Division Public Affairs

WHITE SANDS, NM -- Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division (PHD) and Lockheed Martin recently completed a successful demonstration of the MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) remote interface at the Desert Ship, located at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. This marked the first successful remote test of a VLS launcher.

"This accomplishment is really very exciting," said Donna Bedford, PHD's Land and Sea Test Department Manager. "This is the first step in realizing the possibility of remotely testing and evaluating new weapon systems with combat systems equipment located at geographically remote locations."

Bedford explained that in the future, using this technology along with remote sensors and launchers, land based integration/test facilities, or even ships pier side, could test systems and launch missiles remotely.

The test, accomplished at PHD's White Sand Detachment was engineered, designed, procured, and fabricated by a government-led team. It is based on an open architecture network solution that can satisfy the Fire Control System/VLS Interface Design Specification (IDS).

The demonstration was performed with an effective network distance of 20 miles between the Fire Control System (FCS), located at Desert Ship, and the VLS. A Standard Missile system operability test configuration was used to demonstrate launcher control, launch sequencing, and missile initialization and launch. Timing was one of the critical parameters measured. With a total transmission time of 2.25 milliseconds, the system easily met the 64 milliseconds allowable. Likewise, all signals and data between the FCS and VLS were in compliance with the IDS. Fire Control personnel could not discern any difference in system performance between the direct and networked configurations.

Although the distance over which this remote network operated was only 20 miles, future tests of similar networks over longer distances are planned. This successful demonstration was a significant milestone in providing remote testing capability at an affordable cost.

Focused on the future of combat and weapon systems, PHD initiated the project as part of an effort to reduce the expenses associated with combat systems testing and bring the latest systems to the warfighter more rapidly.