Compact Kinetic Energy Missile
Encyclopedia
The Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM) is a developmental program to produce a hypersonic
anti-tank guided missile
for the U.S. Army. Lockheed Martin
is the primary contractor. The program is the third in a series of projects based on kinetic energy
missiles that stretches back to 1981s Vought HVM
through the 1990s LOSAT and finally to the CKEM. The Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) is developing this program as part of the Army's Future Combat Systems
. This missile is primarily an anti-tank weapon, and can be mounted on land vehicles and low-altitude aircraft. The goal of these weapons is to demonstrate a state-of-the-art system for the next-generation.
Hypersonic
In aerodynamics, a hypersonic speed is one that is highly supersonic. Since the 1970s, the term has generally been assumed to refer to speeds of Mach 5 and above...
anti-tank guided missile
Anti-tank guided missile
An anti-tank missile , anti-tank guided missile , anti-tank guided weapon or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily-armored military vehicles....
for the U.S. Army. Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
is the primary contractor. The program is the third in a series of projects based on kinetic energy
Kinetic energy penetrator
A kinetic energy penetrator is a type of ammunition which, like a bullet, does not contain explosives and uses kinetic energy to penetrate the target....
missiles that stretches back to 1981s Vought HVM
Vought HVM
Vought's HVM, short for Hyper-Velocity Missile, was an anti-tank missile developed during the 1980s. The HVM carried no warhead, and killed its targets with kinetic energy alone using a metal penetrator...
through the 1990s LOSAT and finally to the CKEM. The Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) is developing this program as part of the Army's Future Combat Systems
Future Combat Systems
Future Combat Systems was the United States Army's principal modernization program from 2003 to early 2009. Formally launched in 2003, FCS was envisioned to create new brigades equipped with new manned and unmanned vehicles linked by an unprecedented fast and flexible battlefield network...
. This missile is primarily an anti-tank weapon, and can be mounted on land vehicles and low-altitude aircraft. The goal of these weapons is to demonstrate a state-of-the-art system for the next-generation.
Specifications
- Length: 1.5 m
- Motor: Solid-fuel rocket
- Max range: 10 000 m
- Max weight: 45 kg
- Velocity: 6.5+ Mach
- Warhead: Kinetic energy penetratorKinetic energy penetratorA kinetic energy penetrator is a type of ammunition which, like a bullet, does not contain explosives and uses kinetic energy to penetrate the target....
- Penetrator energy: 10 MJ
Program status
- October 2003 – Lockheed Martin receives $21.3 million contract for CKEM Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) phase.
- September 2006 – The CKEM was successfully flight tested against a reinforced urban structure.
- February 2007 – A T-72 tank equipped with Explosive Reactive Armor was successfully engaged using CKEM at a range of 3400 meters. The test took place at Eglin Air Force BaseEglin Air Force BaseEglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
, FL.
External links
- Lockheed Martin CKEM — Designation Systems
- Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM) — Global Security
- CKEM — Deagel
- Compact Kinetic Energy Missile CKEM — Defense Update