"Zombie" missile defense target. (ATACMs components)

sferrin

ACCESS: USAP
Senior Member
Joined
3 June 2011
Messages
17,232
Reaction score
8,822
"REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (Sept. 27, 2013) -- The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command has found a way to save the Army money while still providing capabilities by using low-cost targets during missile defense testing.

Members of theU.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, or USASMDC/ARSTRAT, Technical Center, in support of the Program Executive Office Missiles and Space's Lower Tier Program Office, or LTPO, is providing a realistic threat ballistic target called "Zombie" for use in testing the PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, or PAC-3 (MSE), advanced missile defense systems.

With the Army and testers of missile defense programs looking to save money on ballistic missile targets, SMDC has developed low-cost targets that cut expenses from the approximate $30 million each for high-end targets, to approximately $4 million for SMDC's low-cost Zombie targets. These savings will allow program managers to stretch their testing budgets and apply funding to where it is needed while reducing the program's overall testing budget.

Zombie uses government-owned material components that have reached the end of their useful life and are subject to consideration of demilitarization. The re-purposing of this government hardware instead of demilitarization ultimately saves the taxpayers' money."

https://www.army.mil/article/112278/Space_and_Missile_Defense_Command_saves_Army_money_with_low_cost__Zombie__targets

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/zombie.htm

 
Just out of curiosity, what is the shelf life for solid fueled missiles and rockets before the chemicals start decaying?
 
fredymac said:
Just out of curiosity, what is the shelf life for solid fueled missiles and rockets before the chemicals start decaying?

Probably depends on the propellant. Talos, Sergent, and Polaris motors are still being used (among others). On the other hand the newer Spartan missile motors needed to be destroyed because of slumping.
 
sferrin said:
fredymac said:
Just out of curiosity, what is the shelf life for solid fueled missiles and rockets before the chemicals start decaying?

Probably depends on the propellant. Talos, Sergent, and Polaris motors are still being used (among others). On the other hand the newer Spartan missile motors needed to be destroyed because of slumping.
ATK or Aerojet just fired a 50 year old MMII first stage a couple weeks ago IIRC.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom