Vought ALVRJ Ramjet Demonstrator

[TinWing]

These photos date from 2003 - a quarter of a century after the ALVRJ ceased to be an active program.
Does anyone notice a visual similarity to the current Orbital Systems Coyote ramjet powered target?

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Makes me think "Kh-31"...

 

[sferrin]

Or Coyote

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

Nothing like resurrecting an ancient thread

Here's a photo of the ALVRJ under the wing of another Vought product. Photo credit to Vought Retirees Club.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[sferrin]

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%202203.html

Also:

 

[JohnR]

Why was the project scrapped?

 

[sferrin]

Why was the project scrapped?

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/alvrj.html

 

[Pioneer]

Makes me think "Kh-31"...

Yes I agree!
If I didn't know better I would have said Soviet/Russian

Regards
Pioneer

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

One more image from the Vought Archives....

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[sferrin]

Greetings All -

One more image from the Vought Archives....

Enjoy the Day! Mark

Notice the difference in fuselage length ahead of the wire harness fairing between this picture and 028 in my June 19th post. There appears to have been two different models. ???

 

[Andreas Parsch]

Notice the difference in fuselage length ahead of the wire harness fairing between this picture and 028 in my June 19th post. There appears to have been two different models. ???

The shorter one is the ALVRJ demonstrator (~1974), while the longer one is a tactical derivative for a Navy requirement (~1979).

 

[shockonlip]

Gotta love ramjets!

I think I was a ramjet in a previous life !!

 

[elmayerle]

Back in early 1973 when my college AIAA group toured Vought's missile division, this is one of the projects we were shown. We were told that Vought won the study contract in competition with a Hughes proposal that would've used a AIM-54 airframe adapted to a LVRJ. It's interesting to think of that leading to an advanced, extended range Phoenix without a significant weight or envelope increase. Still, I've always loved the lines of Vought's ALVRJ concepts and I think it's a shame no production derivaive ever eventuated.

 

[gfi88]

The ALVRJ has a striking aerodynamic similarity to the Hsiung Feng III Ramjet Antiship Missile of Taiwanese Navy.

 

[Rickshaw]

Just a case of form following function. Give an engineer a brief to design a ramjet powered missile and more than likely the design will be similar because of the various needs which must be satisfied.

 

[flateric]

...

 

[Grey Havoc]

Link to LTV (Vought) ALVRJ entry at designation-systems.net.

 

[Bill S]

Looks like this topic needs a few more images!


Here are some VAHF images.

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Good Day All -

A good shot showing the aft end of the missile, courtesy of the Vought Archives.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[RAP]

Print on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/125154001796?hash=item1d23c28384:g:KhQAAOSwRLFiDoQs

 

[sferrin]

US bringing supersonic sea skimming targets to missile defense drill off Scotland

The US Navy will introduce a new feature to the long-running international missile defense drill off Scotland in the form of supersonic sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missile targets. A new launcher that will launch the GQM-163 Coyote targets will be a first for the Formidable Shield exercise that

defbrief.com

 

[Orionblamblam]

Print on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/125154001796?hash=item1d23c28384:g:KhQAAOSwRLFiDoQs

Dang it! I'm *deep* in a financial hole and have sworn off on buying stuff for a while, BUT OH NO, you have to come stomping in here and waving stuff in front of me with "Buy It Now" buttons. Curse you!

 

[Dilandu]

These photos date from 2003 - a quarter of a century after the ALVRJ ceased to be an active program.
Does anyone notice a visual similarity to the current Orbital Systems Coyote ramjet powered target?

"Why only Russian could have all the cool supersonic stuff? We want our own Moskit!!!"

 

[NMaude]

The LTV ALVRJ was a missed opportunity that could've been developed into a fairly capable ASM/AShM.

 

[zjz]

http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/ALVRJ_Ramjet_PCS_-_July_1971.pdf

 

[zjz]

The Ramjet I Worked On The Most

Update 23 March 2024 : For the readers of this and other similar articles about ramjet propulsion, be aware that GW’s ramjet book is fina...

exrocketman.blogspot.com

 

[zjz]

Another Ramjet That I Worked On

Update 23 March 2024 : For the readers of this and other similar articles about ramjet propulsion, be aware that GW’s ramjet book is fina...

exrocketman.blogspot.com

 

[zjz]

Coyote SSST

Wayback Machine

 

[NMaude]

Another Ramjet That I Worked On

Update 23 March 2024 : For the readers of this and other similar articles about ramjet propulsion, be aware that GW’s ramjet book is fina...

exrocketman.blogspot.com

The ASALM was a missed opportunity and whoever the fools were who shut it down deserved a size-12 boot up the arse.

 

[NMaude]

Coyote SSST

Wayback Machine

The Coyote SSST could be modified to create a lightweight AShM or as an ARM.

 

[TomS]

Coyote SSST

Wayback Machine

The Coyote SSST could be modified to create a lightweight AShM or as an ARM.

Lightweight? It's Terrier-sized.

 

[sferrin]

Coyote SSST

Wayback Machine

The Coyote SSST could be modified to create a lightweight AShM or as an ARM.

Lightweight? It's Terrier-sized.

And once you drop the booster it's SM-2 sized.

 

[NMaude]

Coyote SSST

Wayback Machine

The Coyote SSST could be modified to create a lightweight AShM or as an ARM.

Lightweight? It's Terrier-sized.

The Terrier booster could be replaced with a Mk-72 booster

 

[Moose]

Coyote SSST

Wayback Machine

The Coyote SSST could be modified to create a lightweight AShM or as an ARM.

Lightweight? It's Terrier-sized.

And once you drop the booster it's SM-2 sized.

Without a warhead or seeker, and with all of 50 miles of range.

 

[TomS]

The Coyote SSST could be modified to create a lightweight AShM or as an ARM.

Lightweight? It's Terrier-sized.

The Terrier booster could be replaced with a Mk-72 booster

So, why this, when SM-6 already exists and massively out-ranges it.

 

[NMaude]

So, why this, when SM-6 already exists and massively out-ranges it.

The SM-6 is primarily an anti-aircraft missile, a modified Coyote could be used as either an AShM or an ARM also by fitting it with a Mk-72 booster it could be fired from a ship's Mk-41 VLS instead having to launch it from a land based facility.

 

[sferrin]

The Coyote SSST could be modified to create a lightweight AShM or as an ARM.

Lightweight? It's Terrier-sized.

The Terrier booster could be replaced with a Mk-72 booster

So, why this, when SM-6 already exists and massively out-ranges it.

Out ranges it when flown ballistically. Not as a sea-skimmer. That said, it wouldn't be able to carry much of a warhead (Coyote that is).

 

[sferrin]

So, why this, when SM-6 already exists and massively out-ranges it.

The SM-6 is primarily an anti-aircraft missile, a modified Coyote could be used as either an AShM or an ARM also by fitting it with a Mk-72 booster it could be fired from a ship's Mk-41 VLS instead having to launch it from a land based facility.

The Mk72 has less (quite a bit less IIRC) ISP than the Mk70 booster. Would it have enough to get it to speed?

 

[TomS]

The SM-6 is primarily an anti-aircraft missile, a modified Coyote could be used as either an AShM or an ARM also by fitting it with a Mk-72 booster it could be fired from a ship's Mk-41 VLS instead having to launch it from a land based facility.

Yes, I'm very familiar with this weapon

The thing is, SM-6 seems to fill the need for a high-speed AShM nicely, with significant range and nasty terminal effects thanks to its near vertical arrival at high speed. Granted, it's not a sea skimmer, but not many ships are set up to deal with a volley of Mach 4+ high divers either.

For sea-skimming, there is a pretty strong school of thought that faster is not always better. It forces you higher and raises your IR signature, both of which increase detection ranges. Low, slow, and preferably stealthy, is very effective.

I think a pairing of SM-6 with Tomahawk MST, NSM, or (ideally) LRASM is a very potent combo that stresses the hell out of a defender. Coyote doesn't add significantly to their problem set, especially given the tiny (barely OTH) range it offers.

 

[sferrin]

I sure wish they'd get LRASM on surface ships. Seems like it would be a no-brainer.