The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently detailed the successful execution of its first Operational Fires (OpFires) program flight test at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
The OpFires system accomplished all test objectives, including the initial use of a U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) logistics truck as a medium-range missile launcher, missile canister egress, stable flight capture, and deployment of U.S. Army inventory artillery fire control systems to initiate the test mission.
The exercise demonstrated integrated technology maturation of key enabling components, including the missile round pallet (MRP). The MRP is designed for use with the load handling system available on USMC and Army logistics vehicles, eliminating bespoke OpFires transporter erector launcher (TEL) requirements.
“This is a promising step toward a TEL on-demand capability for accurately firing medium-range missiles from highly agile, readily available logistics trucks that are already in both the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps inventory,” DARPA OpFires Program Manager Lt. Col. Joshua Stults said. “Our successful agile hardware development approach prioritizes full-scale flight testing that will inform further design maturation this year.”
OpFires seeks to develop and demonstrate a ground-launched two-stage propulsive system capable of utilizing hypersonic payloads from ubiquitous domestic military trucks penetrating modern air defenses and striking time-critical targets.
“The OpFires program is a great example of how DARPA, in partnership with industry, is helping the Department of Defense facilitate rapid development and testing of advanced hypersonic technologies to accelerate the delivery of transformational warfighting capabilities,” Michael White, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, said.