Military

Hypervelocity Anti-Tank Missile (HATM)

A Raytheon-led team has successfully demonstrated a compact kinetic energy missile in flight. Participating with Raytheon in this program are Alliant Techsystems, Atlantic Research Corporation, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, NAMMO Nordic Ammunition Company and TRW Space Systems.

The test firing, which took place 06 August 2002 in Norway, demonstrated the launch and flight capability of Raytheon's design concept. The research and development effort, called Hypervelocity Anti-Tank Missile (HATM), has a principal goal of testing technologies applicable to the U.S. Army's Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM) program. The size of the current HATM ballistic test vehicle (BTV) is six-inches in diameter and 50-inches in length, providing potential compatibility with more than 6,000 existing Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) launch systems in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

The HATM BTV successfully exited the launcher, deployed its tail fins, and exhibited a stable flight trajectory. The airframe also maintained integrity through the extreme forces encountered during launch transient and acceleration. Measured velocities closely matched theoretical predictions, validating lethality and range performance expectations.

The HATM was launched from a prototype of the Raytheon Universal Launcher which uses the Improved Target Acquisition Sight (ITAS) and is designed to fire several types of fielded and developmental tactical missiles and rockets. The Universal Launcher was mounted on a High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) but has direct application to direct fire, line-of-sight Stryker variants and Future Combat System (FCS) weapon systems.

HATM is unique in that it is suited for light tactical vehicles requiring high firepower on a single chassis while retaining mobility and tactical relevance. The objective weapon system known as CKEM will defeat various targets, including predicted advanced armor targets out to a range of five kilometers. HATM, with a peak velocity greater than Mach 6.0, enables the user to engage four targets in 20 seconds with overwhelming kinetic energy lethality.

The HATM propulsion system is designed as an Insensitive Munition (IM) resistant to collateral detonation, maximizing soldier safety. HATM can be reconfigured for Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) to attack enemy bunkers and other non-armor targets. HATM provides the necessary lethality to deliver clearly identifiable target destruction. Raytheon and its teammates have invested significantly in this technology over the last several years. HATM technology will be made available to meet the U.S. Army's CKEM requirements, and to fit into the Army's FCS technology roadmap.