High Speed Systems Test

High-speed/hypersonic weapons are being developed to ensure the continued military superiority and strike capability of the United States including freedom of movement and freedom of action in areas protected by anti-access/area denial defenses. Current weapon system demonstrations and technology development programs include high-speed and hypersonic air-breathing missiles, maneuvering reentry and boost-glide weapons, hypersonic gun-launched projectiles, and air-breathing space access vehicles. These systems require development of conventional and high-speed turbine, ramjet, scramjet, and combined cycle engines; high temperature materials; thermal protection systems (TPS); and thermal management systems. The High Speed Systems Test (HSST) project addresses test technology needs including propulsion, aerodynamic and aerothermal testing, so the test community has the technology to support the required test scenarios for concepts under development in the S&T community. The technology developments within the HSST project align with the Department’s S&T priority investments. As such, the HSST project is developing, validating and transitioning advanced T&E technologies for ground test, open-air range flight test, and advanced computational tools, along with instrumentation and diagnostics systems for use in both ground tests and flight tests of high speed systems. The HSST project develops technologies to enable robust, accurate, and timely T&E of these future weapon systems. Department acquisition regulations require weapon systems to undergo a thorough T&E process to detect deficiencies early and to ensure system suitability and survivability. However, the extreme environments in which these weapons operate preclude accurate determination of their performance and operability with today’s T&E assets. Current national test capabilities have deficiencies in data accuracy, flight condition replication and simulation, test methods, productivity, modeling and simulation (M&S) fidelity, and range safety. The HSST mission is to address these national test capability gaps by providing test technology solutions that will enable high-speed and hypersonic weapon systems to be successfully developed through accurate, robust, and efficient T&E.