Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV-L) sucessful hover test

Yes Virginia, we're still working on a missile defence program.

Tested at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Successful in its objectives, which were to hover under its own power and recognize and track targets.

Pretty amazing, though I'm not holding my breath until I hear more about how accurate it might prove to be.






(sorry about this, having trouble with the video links)
[edit on 11-12-2008 by Jadette]

[edit on 11-12-2008 by Jadette]

Well, it looks like the West Point Think Tanks have their Ultimate weapon with a video moniter this would be a terrorists worst nightmare except for detonating Suicide Bombers.I think they are working on acoustic wave versions in this design for immobilizing instead of killing.
I was going to make this my first post at ATS but saw you already had it up after I did a search.This story should have more posts and flags on it for sure.

[edit on 17-12-2008 by Bruiex]

reply to post by Bruiex


You realize, of course, that this is a missile payload, not some kind of autonomous robot drone for hunting terrorists. It throws the canisters on it's sides at incoming MIRVs (and decoys). It's quite impressive that it has over 1g acceleration, so that it can hover in atmosphere, but that's not what it's intended for.

It's for missile defense. If anything, it's the closet thing that man has ever built to a space fighter.

It looks so damn weird it almost looks cgi or fake...crazy.Any practical use though? seems to be all for show...

This unit is about 12 years old. There is another thread about it in this section of ATS.

It was going to be used as a recon platform but obviously the thing makes way too much noise. It is useless in space because in space you dont need continuous thrust to move around. Just tiny bursts to correct trajectory, and only full burn to accelerate or deccelerate.


Cheers!!!!

reply to post by Anonymous ATS


Seems like other applications on a ground level could be used.I see what it looks like in space by seperating and the targeting and this was a scaled down test.I still wouldn't want that thing popping up at a gate or prison door.
Peace.

reply to post by RFBurns


It is? My understanding is that this was the first successful hover test. Can you find the other link, I'd love to read more about this.

I'm a bit of a technology nut. And since I worked extensively back in the 1980s on SDI, my interest gets piqued whenever I see anything like this. I worked on kinetic energy missiles for the most part, not that interesting really, though some of our more esoteric projects were moreso (like particle acceleration weapons).