US Navy releases request for solution for Naval Modular Missile
The US Navy is looking to develop a new family of missiles with characteristics to those shown here in this rendering. (US Navy/NSTXL)
The US Navy (USN) released request for solution (RFS) for another transaction project on 19 August to develop the Naval Modular Missile (NMM) Terminal Stage Interceptor (TSI) Prototyping and Demonstration.
Being developed as part of the Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trust Systems (S2MARTS) consortium managed by National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) and administered by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, the NMM is part of a years-long USN effort to develop a new family of more adaptable and relevant missiles.
That effort is becoming increasingly vital and resourced in the wake of combat operations against Houthis in the Red Sea and Iranian forces during operation Epic Fury, USN surface warfare officers (SWOs) have told Janes.
As foreign forces have come to mate unmanned and ballistic missile forces in salvos and swarms against US forces – and as American munitions stocks have dwindled in defence against those threats – the USN has become focused on developing alternatives to the Standard Missile (SM) loadout on fleet surface vessels, SWOs told Janes.
“The next-generation hypersonics opportunity is focused on the development and demonstration of modular weapon system capabilities supporting the Naval Modular Missile programme” according to the RFS.
Modular interceptor
“This effort will explore innovative approaches supporting integration, modularity, interoperability, and porotype demonstration of next-generation missile system capabilities,” the RFS said.
Rather than developing a single new missile, the NMM programme seeks to establish a common architecture capable of supporting multiple missions usinga modular interceptor that can be combined with different propulsion stages and mission-specific equipment, according to navy information requests released earlier this year.
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