The US Air Force has announced the launch of a program to develop a low-cost interceptor missile designed to be launched from ground and air platforms.
This is reported by the Defence Blog.
According to the program, the cost of one missile should be less than $500,000, and its main goal is to create a massive and affordable tool within the Affordable Mass Munitions initiative.
According to the development plan, the first versions of the missiles will be used from ground launchers, but in the future it is envisaged that they can also be launched from air platforms, which will allow them to be used against drones and enemy aircraft.
Annual production is expected to reach about 1,000 units, and the development will rely on components with a high technological readiness level (TRL) to reduce the time to demonstration testing.
The US Air Force notes that recent conflicts have become a clear example of the fact that air defense and air combat require a large number of missiles, the cost of which should be significantly lower than those currently used by the US Air Force itself. The availability of a low-cost modular air defense missile will allow US and allied forces to maintain air control during long and intense operations.
Despite this preparation, there is no final decision on the adoption of the new missile by the US Air Force. The Pentagon is considering several options for launchers that could provide an advantage over a potential enemy.
It is worth reminding that the United States already uses similar low-cost means to intercept drones. One of these products is the Coyote drone missile, which has already been deployed by American units in the Middle East. According to Reuters, the Coyote has demonstrated high efficiency and will be integrated into other US Army platforms in the future.
