U.S. Army Newswire:
WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. — The U.S. Army successfully fired a Longbow Hellfire missile from its newest launch platform on March 25, 2016 as part of an Engineering Demonstration of the Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2-Intercept (IFPC Inc 2-I).
The live fire demonstrated the ability to fire a second interceptor type, having already successfully fired a Stinger missile earlier in the week.
During this live fire, the Longbow Hellfire was successfully launched as commanded by the Engagement Operations Center using track data provided from Sentinel radar. The system features a first-of-its-kind Multi-Mission Launcher (MML), which is designed to fire a variety of different interceptor missiles, depending on the threat.
The Longbow Hellfire missile, although originally designed as an air-to-ground tank-killing missile, has recently shown success in destroying Unmanned Aircraft Systems targets. A variety of other missiles will also be tested as part of the Engineering Demonstration at White Sands Missile Range.
The IFPC Inc 2-I system is a mobile ground-based weapon system designed to defeat unmanned aircraft systems, cruise missiles, and rockets, artillery and mortars. In addition to the MML, the IFPC Inc 2-I System will use the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) for its command and control, a Sentinel radar and existing interceptors to provide 360-degree protection with the ability to engage simultaneous threats arriving from different azimuths.
