Vought HVM
Encyclopedia
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. Development as an air-launch weapon for the A-10 Thunderbolt II
ended sometime in the late 1980s, but continued for helicopter use into the 1990s along with ground-launch (HMMWV
) as the larger the MGM-166 LOSAT
. None of these systems were ever deployed operationally.
The HVM was intended to be a fairly inexpensive weapon, compared to the AGM-65 Maverick
at least, offering the standoff performance while requiring a minimum of support electronics. The target was acquired using a FLIR system on the launch vehicle, and after launch the missile quickly accelerated to 1500 m/s (5000 ft/s, 5400 km/h) and into the view of the FLIR, which tracked both the target and missile from that point on. Corrections to the flight path were sent to the missile via a laser
, the missile included the electronics needed to guide itself back to the correct flight path.
The missile was just under 3 meters long and about 10 cm in diameter. The rear portion was flared out in a cone, which gives it some directional stability without requiring fold-out fins. Most of the stabilization was due to spin. Directional control was accomplished via thrust vectoring
. The penetrator was housed under an ogive nose cone.
The contract was initially sent to Vought Missiles and Space in late 1981, and the first unpowered drop tests were carried out in March 1983. A contract for joint development by the US Air Force, US Army and US Marine Corps followed in October 1984, but the Air Force dropped out of the program some time in the late 1980s (Janes' says '87-'89). In 1988 Texas Instruments
and Vought teamed up to enter a modified version of the HVM into the Army's new (Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System - Heavy (AAWS-H) contest, winning it as the MGM-166 LOSAT (or KEM, Kinetic Energy Missile) with a slightly enlarged and finned version of the basic HVM system.
Vought
Vought is the name of several related aerospace firms. These have included, in the past, Lewis and Vought Corporation, Chance Vought, Vought Sikorsky, LTV Aerospace , Vought Aircraft Companies, and the current Vought Aircraft Industries. The first incarnation of Vought was established by Chance M...
'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
Kinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
alone using a metal penetrator. Development as an air-launch weapon for the A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
ended sometime in the late 1980s, but continued for helicopter use into the 1990s along with ground-launch (HMMWV
High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle , better known as the Humvee, is a military 4WD motor vehicle created by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles formerly served by smaller Jeeps such as the M151 MUTT, the M561 "Gama Goat", their M718A1 and M792 ambulance versions, the CUCV,...
) as the larger the MGM-166 LOSAT
MGM-166 LOSAT
The MGM-166 LOSAT was a U.S. surface-to-surface missile system designed by Lockheed Martin to defeat tanks and other individual targets. Instead of using a High Explosive Anti-Tank warhead like other anti-tank missiles, the LOSAT employed a solid steel kinetic energy penetrator to punch through...
. None of these systems were ever deployed operationally.
The HVM was intended to be a fairly inexpensive weapon, compared to the AGM-65 Maverick
AGM-65 Maverick
The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile designed for close-air support. It is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation and fuel storage facilities....
at least, offering the standoff performance while requiring a minimum of support electronics. The target was acquired using a FLIR system on the launch vehicle, and after launch the missile quickly accelerated to 1500 m/s (5000 ft/s, 5400 km/h) and into the view of the FLIR, which tracked both the target and missile from that point on. Corrections to the flight path were sent to the missile via a laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
, the missile included the electronics needed to guide itself back to the correct flight path.
The missile was just under 3 meters long and about 10 cm in diameter. The rear portion was flared out in a cone, which gives it some directional stability without requiring fold-out fins. Most of the stabilization was due to spin. Directional control was accomplished via thrust vectoring
Thrust vectoring
Thrust vectoring, also thrust vector control or TVC, is the ability of an aircraft, rocket or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine or motor in order to control the attitude or angular velocity of the vehicle....
. The penetrator was housed under an ogive nose cone.
The contract was initially sent to Vought Missiles and Space in late 1981, and the first unpowered drop tests were carried out in March 1983. A contract for joint development by the US Air Force, US Army and US Marine Corps followed in October 1984, but the Air Force dropped out of the program some time in the late 1980s (Janes' says '87-'89). In 1988 Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
and Vought teamed up to enter a modified version of the HVM into the Army's new (Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System - Heavy (AAWS-H) contest, winning it as the MGM-166 LOSAT (or KEM, Kinetic Energy Missile) with a slightly enlarged and finned version of the basic HVM system.