MDD/Boeing MA-31 Target Drone

[isayyo2]

Hi all, I have a short presentation from 2004 about Boeing's MA-31 target drone program. These were Kh-31 missile bodies bought from Russia and modified to replace the Navy's MQM-8 Vandal supersonic targets. Attached below is the PDF file.

 

[NMaude]

I'm surprised that Boeing didn't try to get the licences to to produce the AS-17 airframe,, ramjet and control fin servos to produce them in the US.

 

[TomS]

I'm surprised that Boeing didn't try to get the licences to to produce the AS-17 airframe,, ramjet and control fin servos to produce them in the US.

It's not a given that the Russians would have allowed that.

 

[NMaude]

I'm surprised that Boeing didn't try to get the licences to to produce the AS-17 airframe,, ramjet and control fin servos to produce them in the US.

It's not a given that the Russians would have allowed that.

Good point however it might've been possible back in the 1990s before Putin took over from Yeltsin at the end of 1999.

 

[sferrin]

I'm surprised that Boeing didn't try to get the licences to to produce the AS-17 airframe,, ramjet and control fin servos to produce them in the US.

I seem to recall reading that Boeing had to make many mods for it to even be useful.

Boeing/Zvezda-Strela MA-31

 

[TomS]

I'm surprised that Boeing didn't try to get the licences to to produce the AS-17 airframe,, ramjet and control fin servos to produce them in the US.

I seem to recall reading that Boeing had to make many mods for it to even be useful.

Boeing/Zvezda-Strela MA-31

Well, they got them from Russia with nothing but the airframe and motors, essentially. So they had to develop the autopilots, beacons, and all the other stuff to make a missile into a target. Plus interface it with US aircraft systems (QF-4s specifically). And it turned out the motors were not wonderful -- two failures out of 13 shots (plus one due to the Boeing-supplied autopilot).

In the end, they only got 18 total of the 34 ordered, and 13 of these were expended by 2003.