sferrin

ACCESS: USAP
Senior Member
Joined
3 June 2011
Messages
17,232
Reaction score
8,824
DOD Announces New Allied Prototyping Initiative Effort with Norway to Continue Partnership in Advancing Solid Fuel Ramjet Technologies

210709_1.jpg

"The U.S. Department of Defense and the Norwegian Ministry of Defence announced their intent to continue a bilateral effort to explore advanced solid fuel ramjet technologies. The Tactical High-speed Offensive Ramjet for Extended Range, or THOR-ER, is an Allied Prototyping Initiative (API) effort under the Directorate for Advanced Capabilities within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

The THOR-ER effort aims to cooperatively develop and integrate advancements in solid fuel ramjet technologies into full-size prototypes that are affordable, attain high-speeds, and achieve extended range, culminating in flight demonstrations in operationally relevant conditions. The effort will also consider potential U.S. and Norwegian co-production opportunities. "

 
Can't find any info on this other than a bunch of articles all from the same date as the upper one. Its like this thing suddenly popped out of the ground. What's the deal? (range, speed, dimensions, anything)
 
Can't find any info on this other than a bunch of articles all from the same date as the upper one. Its like this thing suddenly popped out of the ground. What's the deal? (range, speed, dimensions, anything)

The model shown sure looks like an ESSM fuselage and front end with an inlet grafted into it. But I wouldn't count on that being entirely representative of anything. This is just a prototyping exercise, so they might well not be looking to make anything that would be fully representative of an operational weapon.
 
Not sure if this is related. It's for a solid fuel ramjet.

 
Not sure if this is related. It's for a solid fuel ramjet.


Good stuff, always glad to see the alma mater doing good things
 
Not sure if this is related. It's for a solid fuel ramjet.


Good stuff, always glad to see the alma mater doing good things
Isn't it about this project here? Or no?
 
Last edited:
Not sure if this is related. It's for a solid fuel ramjet.


Good stuff, always glad to see the alma mater doing good things
Isn't it about this project here? Or no?

Your guess is as good as mine, I left the defense industry a decade ago and haven't followed my Alma Mater's research trends with any detail in a while.
 
Not sure if this is related. It's for a solid fuel ramjet.


Good stuff, always glad to see the alma mater doing good things
Isn't it about this project here? Or no?

Your guess is as good as mine, I left the defense industry a decade ago and haven't followed my Alma Mater's research trends with any detail in a while.
Purdon't.
 
From what I understand reading the article it seems that the THOR ER is not a real missile, but a propulsion system for missiles. So could it be put on existing missiles, which will get faster?
 
From what I understand reading the article it seems that the THOR ER is not a real missile, but a propulsion system for missiles. So could it be put on existing missiles, which will get faster?

The most likely outcome that they could incorporate the technology into new missiles going forward, but I supposed it could apply to new versions some existing missiles. The mockup in the first post looks like an ESSM derivative, for example. And air-breathing HARM/AARGM is still interesting, albeit never actually funded, despite several credible candidates. Whatever missile you might apply this too would have to already be supersonic, which limits the options. You can't just bolt it on to a Tomahawk and get it to go Mach 3.
 
Last edited:
The ESSM concept is/was pretty fascinating. If they can retain the quad packing ability then that is going to be a pretty decent capability that could extend ranges considerably at a lower cost than say having to use an SM-2. There is no ESSM Blk III yet in the works so perhaps a propulsion upgrade could be a candidate for the next cycle.
 
Then the NSM - which is a Norwegian-made missile - would also be an excellent candidate.
 
Then the NSM - which is a Norwegian-made missile - would also be an excellent candidate.

But back to my point above, NSM is solidly subsonic (and uses IR homing). You can't just slap a ramjet on it and expect it to work at all.
 
Maybe they could do it with NGLAW.

Maybe, if anyone had a clue about what they want for NGLAW. The thing is, it's meant to replace Tomahawk, which puts a couple of hard limits in terms of range and size. Going supersonic with a range of more than 1000 miles within the envelope of a Mk41 canister is asking a lot, even with a fancy new engine.
 
Then the NSM - which is a Norwegian-made missile - would also be an excellent candidate.

But back to my point above, NSM is solidly subsonic (and uses IR homing). You can't just slap a ramjet on it and expect it to work at all.

I'm sure that Norway is probably thinking ahead into what comes after the NSM in the 2030's and beyond. Since the NSM is going to be the OTH weapon of choice for the SSC fleet with the USN, they too probably have some interest in eventually getting something with longer range, faster speed and higher survivability down the road.
 
Then the NSM - which is a Norwegian-made missile - would also be an excellent candidate.

But back to my point above, NSM is solidly subsonic (and uses IR homing). You can't just slap a ramjet on it and expect it to work at all.

I'm sure that Norway is probably thinking ahead into what comes after the NSM in the 2030's and beyond. Since the NSM is going to be the OTH weapon of choice for the SSC fleet with the USN, they too probably have some interest in eventually getting something with longer range, faster speed and higher survivability down the road.
I would imagine that would be an entirely new missile.
 
In this article about the collaboration between Germany and Norway on the Norwegian Navy's next class of submarines, hints about a future naval attack missile. It could be related to the THOR ER program.
 
Last edited:
In this article about the collaboration between Germany and Norway on the Norwegian Navy's next class of submarines, hints about a future naval attack missile. It could be related to the THOR ER program.

In 2019, this initiative was talking about enhanced versions of NSM. I suspect that Future Naval Strike Missile is simply the upgraded NSM with things like automatic target recognition for land targets.


Given that THOR-ER is a US-Norwegian initiative, I would not expect Germany to become a partner in it without the US being mentioned as well.
 

Nammo, in association with the US Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) and the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), is preparing for an initial live-fire long-range test flight of its new solid-fuel ramjet (SFRJ) motor with the US Navy's Tactical High-speed Offensive Ramjet for Extended Range (THOR-ER) missile propulsion technology demonstrator.

Jointly funded by the US Navy and US Allied Prototyping Initiative (API), and by the Norwegian Ministry of Defence and Nammo, the test will be conducted at the Andøya Test Center in Norway in early 2022.
 
Then the NSM - which is a Norwegian-made missile - would also be an excellent candidate.

But back to my point above, NSM is solidly subsonic (and uses IR homing). You can't just slap a ramjet on it and expect it to work at all.

I'm sure that Norway is probably thinking ahead into what comes after the NSM in the 2030's and beyond. Since the NSM is going to be the OTH weapon of choice for the SSC fleet with the USN, they too probably have some interest in eventually getting something with longer range, faster speed and higher survivability down the road.
It seems likely they go hypersonic rather than super sonic, and I don't know if solid ramjet tech can support that. I think it more likely that the tech works its way into SAMs and AAMs.
 
Well, going hypersonic from supersonic will make the missile longer due to need to provide more room for proper combustion.
 
Does Norway even have any hypersonic research? I think they’ll have to settle for whatever performance they can get from ramjets for the foreseeable future. Those can still get into the near to just barely hypersonic range if you use Mach 5 as the hard definition.
 

Tactical High-speed Offensive Ramjet for Extended Range (THOR-ER) Team Completes Ramjet Vehicle Test​

The THOR-ER program team, a collaborative effort between the United States and Norway to develop a solid fuel ramjet (SFRJ) vehicle, achieved an important milestone on August 17, at Andøya in northern Norway. The test vehicle successfully fired several times, showing the viability of ramjet propulsion technology and demonstrating significant increases in effective range.

“The United States needs to be working closely with our allies to ensure our joint force has the most cutting edge capabilities on the battlefield,” said Heidi Shyu, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. “I commend the THOR-ER team on their outstanding work weathering the pandemic environment, continuing the development of this significant propulsion technology, and promoting continued science and technology collaboration with our partners in Norway,”

The recent tests satisfied the THOR-ER Phase 1 objectives of demonstrating jointly-developed propulsion technologies in flight, including new high energy fuels, advanced air injection, and throttling methodologies which will be essential for mission flexible SFRJ systems of the future.

“The SFRJ flight vehicle was accelerated to above Mach 2 with the help of a solid rocket booster, and transitioned to ramjet mode. The flight phase was a resounding success with stable flight, robust ramjet operation, and a high thrust-to-drag ratio,” said Executive Vice President of Aerospace Propulsion at the Nordic Ammunition Company (Nammo), Stein Erik Nodeland. “The flights performed in accordance with pre-flight calculations, demonstrating a high-speed long-range trajectory. All in all, this is a real milestone. While not the first ramjet vehicle, it is the first modern ramjet, with a potential for a great improvement in range, time to target, and agility.”


The first flight, conducted on August 17, demonstrated an unguided vehicle with robust SFRJ operation across a wide range of altitudes and speeds. The second test, which focused on a high thrust flight profile, took place the following day. Both flights were considered successful, having demonstrating high supersonic speeds prior to ramjet burnout and splashdown. Program officials will continue to evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.

“Not only do the recent test firings at Andøya Space Flight Center mark a key milestone in terms of proving the THOR-ER propulsion technology, they also demonstrate the power of bilateral cooperation,” said Morten Tiller, Norwegian Armaments Director. “Through concerted efforts, key stakeholders in the United States and Norway have made significant progress that promises to increase both speed and range of air defense and missile systems. I am hopeful that the collaborative approach we have brought to the R&D, prototyping and test phases will continue into the industrialization stage of the technology.”

“We believe that the SFRJ is going to be a game-changer for the U.S. Navy and our Allied partners, and we are excited to see the successful THOR-ER flight tests,” said Stephen Farmer, Director for Advanced Concepts, Prototyping & Experimentation at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD). “We are also humbled in having this partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Defense and Norwegian industry partner Nammo. We know that our combined team will continue to build on this success, and we are excited for what the future will bring.”

The THOR-ER program builds upon collaborative research efforts involving the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office, NAWCWD, the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, and Nammo.

“I want to congratulate the THOR-ER team on these wonderful tests. From a Nammo viewpoint, it underscores the importance of investing in competence and technological development. THOR-ER and ramjet technology can help our NATO partners with some of their most key priorities: range and precision.” said Nammo CEO Morten Brandtzæg. “I think this would not have been possible without the bilateral cooperation. In time, this might be the most important project Nammo has been involved in–ever–both industrially and in terms of military importance.

About the THOR-ER project and team

In April 2020, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Norwegian Ministry of Defense jointly announced their partnership to develop advanced technologies applicable to long range high-speed and hypersonic weapons.


https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3180755/tactical-high-speed-offensive-ramjet-for-extended-range-thor-er-team-completes/#.Y0Bd5-x7kmU.twitter
 

Attachments

  • 221005-D-D0439-101.jpeg
    221005-D-D0439-101.jpeg
    736.6 KB · Views: 27
The model shown sure looks like an ESSM fuselage and front end with an inlet grafted into it. But I wouldn't count on that being entirely representative of anything. This is just a prototyping exercise, so they might well not be looking to make anything that would be fully representative of an operational weapon.
Or AMRAAM-ER?
 
Nammo is a Norwegian company, obviously, that developed a ramjet-propelled 155mm artillery round.


This was picked by DOD for joint further development with Boeing.

And their next logical step was to combine the ESSM missile body, for which they are a sub-contractor, with the ramjet as an all-new project, with little to no connection to the original product, other than the external similarities.

And it would appear that again DOD is interested to further build on their ramjet technology.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom