US Air Force tests mutant missile with a bent nose for sixth-generation fighter jet and to counter hypersonic weapons
The United States Air Force is exploring different concepts to improve weapon accuracy. One of the developments under consideration is the so-called "mutant missile".
Here's What We Know
The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is working on the project. The programme is called Missile Utility Transformation via Articulated Nose Technology (MUTANT). It was revealed at a US Air and Space Forces Association symposium a few days ago.
The military noted that the development of the new missile uses data from work on related technologies over the past six years. However, it is based on experiments that began in the 1950s.
MUTANT is an advanced air-to-air missile. It is intended for the current aircrafts and sixth generation fighters that will appear in the middle of the next decade. The missile's special feature is the use of a nose piece that can flex. How this is supposed to work is shown in the video below.
It is believed that this design feature of the MUTANT will be able to increase its effectiveness in engaging the target. The MUTANT's articulated nose technology will increase the manoeuvrability of the missile, as its nose will be able to deflect from the central axis. This will provide a course correction if the target moves away from the intercept point.
MUTANT is expected to be one of the countermeasures against hypersonic missiles being staked by the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China. The US Air Force has already tested several components of the new weapon.
Potential technological difficulties may arise when it comes to the materials for making the missile. For the air-to-air weapon to be as effective as possible, the design must be able to withstand high temperatures. In addition, other factors that will affect the MUTANT during high-speed flight must be taken into account. For example, the impact of a rapid change of direction on the nose section of the missile.
The AFRL works on a "composite structure, which consists of a metal inner frame filled with elastomer". Eventually the US Air Force wants a design that will be suitable for use beyond supersonic speeds, where components will be exposed to temperatures up to 900 degrees Celsius (1,652 degrees Fahrenheit).
To fully test the MUTANT concept, additional tests are needed, after which we can move on to turning the experiment into a real rocket. As we mentioned, the AFRL has carried out several tests on individual components. The prototype is based on the heavily modified AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missile. You can see it in the image above. A new round of tests is planned for the end of fiscal 2024. It is noted, however, that the Hellfire is being used for research purposes and it is not certain that the Lockheed Martin / Boeing missile will form the basis of the final version of the MUTANT.
Source: The Drive
