New Dynetics contract to increase hypersonic flight testing

HUNTSVILLE — Dynetics has been awarded a contract to increase the capacity for America’s hypersonic flight testing.

The program, known as Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed, was awarded by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane (Ind.) division, on behalf of the Department of Defense.

“Hypersonics are a top priority for our nation, and we’re honored to be a part of this innovative and vital initiative,” said Leidos’ Dynetics Group President Steve Cook.

Huntsville-based Dynetics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leidos, will work with the National Security Technology Accelerator and a team of more than 20 partners across industry, small businesses, national laboratories, and academia.

“We have always been fortunate to work in an industry where missions align on a single focus: Protecting our nation,” Cook said. “Our team is comprised of the some of the best in the industry and dedicated to solving tomorrow’s problems today.”

MACH-TB supports hypersonic programs by creating opportunities to test technologies with robust, agile and modular approaches. It will demonstrate ways to affordably prototype a test bed that leverages multiple, commercially available launch vehicles for hypersonic payloads.

The data collected will provide insight to the DoD on technology improvement and capability validation. This will enable more robust and successful developments of hypersonic weapon systems.

Additionally, MACH-TB will provide a modular Experimental Glide Body to create opportunities for technologies to be tested in relevant hypersonic environments to inform acquisition decisions for weapon systems.

This hypersonics flight test bed will bring to fruition a centralized hypersonic testing capability that can be leveraged by Navy Conventional Prompt Strike, Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, the Missile Defense Agency, the Air Force hypersonics programs, DoD research programs, small businesses, industry, and academia stakeholders.

This program was initiated by the Navy’s CPS program and will be managed by OSD’s Test Resources Management Center and executed by NSWC Crane.

Work will be performed in Huntsville; Crane, Ind.; and the Washington, D.C., area.