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Quick Bolt Test Firing - A Great Success

NAVAIR Release

Press Release Number: EPEOW200308261

Release Date: 8/26/2003

The Quick Bolt Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program successfully completed the second Quick Bolt (QB) missile test firing recently from a Navy F/A-18 at the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) test ranges, China Lake, Calif.

QB-2 demonstrated a kill against a surface-to-air missile system employing radar shutdown tactics and reported the endgame status via message to a Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) cell. In addition, targeting was received in the missile from off-board national sensors prior to the shot and was correlated onboard the aircraft.

The Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) developed a new multi-mode seeker (passive anti-radiation homing, active millimeter wave radar and global positioning system/inertial navigation system) for potential upgrade of the Navy and Marine Corps AGM-88 HARM missile inventory. The Quick Bolt ACTD builds on the AARGM capabilities by adding an Embedded National Tactical Receiver to receive off-board targeting and a Weapons Impact Assessment (WIA) transmitter to assist in BDA. The result is a dramatic improvement in the capability to detect, locate and destroy enemy air defenses even in the presence of air defense counter tactics, such as radar shutdown, against anti-radiation missiles.

In the test firing, the missile successfully identified, tracked and guided to the simulated air defense radar target that stopped radiating while the missile was in-flight and scored a direct hit on the intended target. In addition, the WIA message was broadcast by the weapon just prior to impact, received by overhead National technical means and routed to displays within a simulated BDA cell displaying all critical weapon performance data. All test objectives were achieved. This successful test firing, combined with the five AARGM ATD firings and QB-1 firing, supports test objectives of the Quick Bolt ACTD Military Utility Assessment.

The Quick Bolt program is sponsored by the United States European Command and is jointly developed by the U.S. Navy and the National Reconnaissance Office. AARGM is manufactured by ATK Missile Systems Company, Woodland Hills, Calif. The program is managed by the Navy's Program Executive Office, Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation (PEO(W)) co-located at the NAVAIR complex in Patuxent River, Maryland.

NAVAIR provides advanced warfare technology through the efforts of a seamless, integrated, worldwide network of aviation technology experts. From professional training to carrier launch and recovery; from sensor data to precision targeting and real-time communications; from aircraft and weapons development to successful deployment and sustainment; NAVAIR provides dominant combat effects and matchless capabilities to the American warfighter.