Missile Defense Agency Completes Successful Flight Tests of Enhanced Nozzle for SM-3 Third Stage Rocket Motor

June 8, 2016

Northrop Grunman:

Orbital ATK, Inc. (OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, announced today the Missile Defense Agency’s successful tests of its enhanced MK 136 Third Stage Rocket Motor (TSRM) nozzle on the Raytheon Standard Missile (SM)-3 Block IB in Controlled Test Vehicles (CTVs)-01a/02. These flight tests were conducted on May 25 and 26, 2016, respectively, at the Pacific Missile Range Facility. The missiles were launched from a U.S. Navy Aegis destroyer off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii.

The primary objective of the flight tests was to demonstrate Orbital ATK’s enhanced TSRM nozzle, which improves performance of the SM-3 Block IB missile in a range of flight scenarios. The new nozzle features improvements to increase the robustness of the design across the operating environment. The two successful flight tests provided additional validation of the improved TSRM nozzle, and confirmed results seen in successful full-scale ground tests at Orbital ATK’s facility in Elkton, Maryland, and at the Air Force Rocket Laboratory test facility on Edwards Air Force Base.

“Orbital ATK continues to work with its partners on the SM-3 team to successfully evolve the most advanced solid rocket subsystem ever fielded,” said Pat Nolan, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK’s Missile Products division of the Defense Systems Group. “These successful tests demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the SM-3 program and ensure we have a capable and reliable system for the defense of our nation and allies.”

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