Lockheed Martin announced Friday that it has completed initial testing of the kill vehicle divert thruster for the Missile Defense Agency’s Multiple Kill Vehicle Payload System. The testing of the thruster and valves on the component took place on July 16, showing that the system will allow the kill vehicle to more accurately maneuver to intercept targets. In the event of a launch a single interceptor equipped with the MKV will destroy the reentry vehicle along with countermeasures, Lockheed Martin officials contend.
RTX’s Raytheon unit was able to “significantly” extend the range of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using mostly software changes in experimental tests last year, expanding the reach and lethality of the standard U.S. dogfighting weapon, company officials said Sept. 15.
