Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
A new air target being developed by Aerospatiale Missiles has been bid in the US Navy's Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target (SSST) competition.
The bid was made after the USN extended its deadline by one month, to 14 April. Bids are expected from Allied Signal Aerospace, an Orbital Sciences/Raytheon team and Boeing.
The USN is buying Zvezda-Strela-built MA-31s through Boeing as an interim SSST solution, and Boeing is expected to offer an extended range version of the MA-31. The USN says there is no problem with availability of the MA-31, but it is reported that Russia has blocked MA-31 shipments to Boeing.
The USN intends to procure up to 20 MA-31s from Boeing in fiscal year 1999, which began on 1 October, but the contract has yet to be signed. A Boeing spokesman would say only that "we are on track in negotiations with the Russians for further MA-31 buys."
Orbital Sciences may propose to convert surplus SRAM missiles with Terrier boosters into supersonic air targets needed to test shipboard defences against the Raguda 3M-80 (SS-N-22 Sunburn) anti-ship missile.
AlliedSignal Target Systems had provided the USN with Vandal targets converted from excess Talos missiles, but the USN ran out of Talos airframes and boosters.
AlliedSignal is proposing the Sea Snake, an improved Vandal manufactured from new. As an alternative, the company has teamed with Aerospatiale to offer the in-development Marauder, which is designed to yield a new supersonic anti-ship weapon and an advanced tactical nuclear delivery system for the French military. The Marauder would be powered by an Aerospatiale ramjet engine, with solid rocket booster from Pratt & Whitney Chemical Systems.
The winning contractor can expect to supply up to 40 targets annually for four years.
Source: Flight International