Supersonic target crashes during flight test

The first engineering development model (EDM) flight test of the US Navy's new ZGQM-173A Multi-Stage Supersonic Target (MSST) has ended in failure off Point Mugu, California.

Although the target vehicle was successfully launched from San Nicholas Island at the start of the 12 June test, it subsequently developed control difficulties, lost altitude and crashed into the sea.

In August 2008 ATK was awarded a USD96.8 million 50-month system development and demonstration (SDD) contract by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for the design, development, integration and testing of the ZGQM-173A aerial target system, which comprises a two-stage unmanned aerial target, a ground launcher and associated support equipment.

Under the management of NAVAIR's Aerial Target and Decoy Systems Program Office (PMA-208), the MSST is being developed to meet the navy's requirement for a two-stage target surrogate representative of the Russian 3M54 Klub (NATO designation SS-N-27B 'Sizzler') anti-ship cruise missile.

The SS-N-27B is distinguished by a complex and unique flight profile: the weapon initially cruises at subsonic speed before separating, at about 20 km from the target, into two sections, with the sea-skimming solid-rocket terminal 'combat stage' accelerating to supersonic speed and performing evasive manoeuvres to defeat target defences.