The U.S. Army is scheduled to conduct a flight test of the Low-cost Extended-Range Air Defense (LowER-AD), an element of the newest air defense system, according to the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center news release.
The test with the ballistic test vehicle, which will be conducted by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center, is scheduled to take place in the fourth quarter of the Fiscal Year 2019.
The LowER-AD is a missile interceptor technology that is smaller and less costly than other larger systems. The new air defense system is designed to defeat subsonic cruise missiles and lethal unmanned aerial systems, leaving the advanced Patriot interceptors for the more stressing threats.
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command has announced that the LowER-AD project will demonstrate critical technologies to defeat subsonic cruise missiles and lethal unmanned aerial systems, leaving the advanced Patriot interceptors for the more stressing threats.
LowER-AD technology will make it possible to reduce the size of the missile, which in turn will allow more missiles per launcher. Internal components of the LowER-AD missile technology will include improved navigation and a low-cost seeker and warhead, which will maximize its capability to protect defended areas and troops.
LowER-AD will conduct a flight test in the Fiscal Year 2021, using various targets at extended ranges to demonstrate Level 6 maturity of the technology. A flight test with the ballistic test vehicle will be conducted in the fourth quarter of the Fiscal Year 2019 to verify key component performance.