11 Oct 12. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems Group (GA-EMS) announces the delivery to the U.S. Navy and successful initial firing of a new railgun prototype. The Advanced Containment Launcher (ACL) delivered to the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Va. is designed to deliver significantly higher muzzle energies than ever demonstrated in a tactically relevant configuration. The full-scale electromagnetic (EM) Railgun is now undergoing a series of full energy tests and evaluation by the Navy. Under a contract with the Office of Naval Research (ONR), GA-EMS has developed a first generation launcher prototype on the path towards a future long-range weapon system to fire projectiles using high power electromagnetic energy instead of chemical propellants at muzzle energies up to 32 megajoules (equivalent energy to approximately 35 tons traveling 100 mph). This system is capable of launching projectiles almost eight times farther (100+ nautical miles) and more than twice the speed of conventional guns (up to 5,600 mph). The high velocity and great range of an EM railgun will provide dramatically increased multi-mission capabilities, including ship defense, anti-surface warfare, and naval surface fire support, all from a single weapon system mounted on U.S. Navy vessels. The EM railgun is set to undergo the first phase of a two-phase program to develop a new weapon that will revolutionize the Navy. The second phase will be to develop thermal management systems for both the launcher and pulsed power systems to facilitate repetitive firing rates. To this end, GA-EMS has been contracted by the Navy to provide pulsed power for repetitive fire demonstrations and to further develop an effective thermally managed launcher. (Source: ASD Network)
17 Oct 12. The KFK missile undertook its first firing demonstration on 19 September 2012 at the military training centre in Baumholder, Germany. This demonstrator was tested in the presence of German officials with two successful unguided firings with the missile travelling the planned distance in each case.Under the project supervision of MBDA Germany, MBDA with the support of various government offices has been financing a Technology Demonstration Programme with its own resources for around one year. The missile concept was developed by building on the mission experience of the German Bundeswehr and more generally on the lessons learned from recent conflicts. Ongoing military missions have revealed the particular need for a compact, light-weight, low-cost, precision multipurpose weapon that can be transported and operated by a single operator. The KFK concept is intended as an effective enhancement to existing shoulder-fired infantry weapon systems, delivering highly precise effects against a large target spectrum whilst enhancing gunner protection. Further KFK test firings are planned for 2013. KFK stands for Kleinflugkörper which translates as “Small Missile”.
18 Oct 12. French Air Force’s Rafale completes Meteor missile test firing. The French Air Force’s Rafale fighter aircraft has successfully test fired the Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) at the French defence procurement agency’s (DGA) Flight Test Center in Cazaux, south-western France. Known as the B301, the aircraft underwent two successful test firings of the new-generation missile on the 4th and 10th October 2012 respectively. A total of 200 Meteor missiles were ordered by the DGA from MBDA UK under an undisclosed deal in January 2011, for integration into French Rafale fighters to help enhance air-to-air and air-to-surface attack capabilities. Developed by MBDA, the Meteor is an active radar guided missile designed to provide a multi-shot capability against long-range manoeuvring targets such as fast jets, small unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles in a heavy electronic countermeasures (ECM) environment. (Source: airforcetechnology.com)
18 Oct 12. Russia to conduct first live firing o