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More funding endorsed for Evader aerial target missile system

By Julian Kerr |

Additional funding has been endorsed, although not yet approved, to confirm the supersonic performance of the Australian-developed Evader autonomous aerial target missile system, sources close to the programme have disclosed.

An application for a grant of AUD2.85 million (USD2.02 million) from the governmentā€™s Defence Innovation Hub has been endorsed by both the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Australian Army to fund a second series of flight trials for the low-cost, air-launched system, said the sources. A decision is expected shortly.

The Australian-developed Evader autonomous aerial target missile system (foreground) and the Aero Commander 500-series aircraft used to test-fire it. (Grollo Aerospace )

The Australian-developed Evader autonomous aerial target missile system (foreground) and the Aero Commander 500-series aircraft used to test-fire it. (Grollo Aerospace )

Initial flight trials, funded by the Innovation Hub and carried out in 2018 at South Australiaā€™s Woomera range, validated the Evaderā€™s design, autonomous control system and stainless steel ramjet, and proved the parachute-recoverable, 4.2 m-long target missile could be re-used up to 10 times. Endurance of the 90 kg missile is about 30 minutes.

While the initial trials were subsonic, the second series of trials will be low-supersonic following relocation of the variable air intake from the top to the bottom of the missileā€™s fuselage. Speeds of up to Mach 2 are anticipated in subsequent trials, with future variants intended to reach Mach 3.

 

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