A new Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) program is looking to advance the service’s hypersonic portfolio by combining its past investments and prior applied research into a combined effort that will field low-cost hypersonic boost-glide missiles in Mk 41 VLS cells.
The U.S. Navy unveiled its Flight Advancement of Structures for Hypersonics (FLASH) program this week, aiming to prove a “surface-launched, tactical range, hypersonic strike capability” that can be fielded in Mark 41 VLS cells and Virginia-class Payload Module cells. FLASH represents the service’s first dedicated effort to field a tactical range hypersonic strike system on surface ships since the SM-6 Block IB was paused last year.
Instead of exquisite systems, the U.S. Navy is looking at high technology readiness level (TRL) products as part of the FLASH program, including thermal protection materials, demonstrable flight test products, and proven command-and-control mission systems that enable end-to-end flight.
“The primary focus of the FLASH program is to demonstrate a tactically relevant range, low cost, hypersonic capability via advanced aerodynamics, control techniques and resulting relaxed reliance on exquisite materials.”
U.S. Navy
The FLASH INP will build out the fleet’s hypersonic boost-glide technology that is currently centered around the Zumwalt-class Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapon. CPS requires specialized launch tubes that aren’t found on any current U.S. Navy ships or submarines, putting stress on the three Zumwalt-class hulls currently undergoing a complex refit before they move to Pearl Harbor to serve as INDOPACOM’s long-range surface strike arm.
FLASH aims to put those types of high-end hypersonic weapons on far more ships. Boost-glide weapons will be assessed for integration into existing Mark 41 VLS cells that are prevalent across the Navy, Army, and Marine Corps on ships or in containerized weapon systems, without needing extensive refits or long periods in drydock to be mission capable.
“FLASH will address vehicle structural, aerodynamic and thermal performance, vehicle controllability and affordability related to its technologies and assess compatibility with the Vertical Launch System (VLS) and Virginia Payload Module (VPM).”
U.S. Navy
INPs like the FLASH program are designed to mature high-risk, high-payoff technology that can act as game-changers for the surface fleet. The U.S. Navy already is playing catch-up in a growing competition to field long-range strike weapons against the PLA Navy, and the FLASH INP is looking to “design, develop, manufacture and flight test a number of prototype vehicles to inform decisions” of how to move forward in that competition.
The service is already looking at a broad range of capabilities and vendors for non-exquisite, mass-producible weapons across a wide range of programs, but addition of surface and submarine-launched affordable hypersonic weapons has not been seen before.
“We have to continue building not just better missiles, but finding better ways to use our vertical launchers,” Rear Admiral Derek Trinque told media and attendees of the Surface Navy Association’s National Symposium in January, discussing the future Navy Modular Missile (NMM). “by using up a full-sized propulsion stack, one that takes up an entire VLS cell, I can now have a long-range offensive counter air weapon or another option for hypersonic strike.”
NMM is one of many hypersonic strike systems being developed alongside the now-active FLASH INP. Defense Archives was first to report on the service’s selection of Castelion to deliver over 300 air-launched hypersonic missiles as part of another active hypersonic weapon effort, the Multi-mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) program.
