Strike-Anywhere Missile Plan Could Get Hypersonic Boost

The Pentagon’s controversial plan to strike any target on the planet in under an hour could be getting a boost, from one of the U.S. military’s “Holy Grail” technologies. Last month, the Pentagon modified a $12-million contract, to allow Lockheed Martin’s ultrafast FALCON Hypersonic Test Vehicle project to become a component of an Air Force effort to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles at America’s enemies.

The Air Force’s Conventional Strike Missile is a modified Minuteman III ballistic missile, with a conventional warhead, in place of the nuke. For years, the military has wanted to use a de-nuked ballistic missile to enable U.S. forces to hit a target, anywhere in the world, in less than 60 minutes. But the missile has gotten hung up on diplomatic concerns: how would Russia or China feel, if we started launching ballistic missiles, with little or no warning? Plus, the CSM would be pricey: $10 million, or more, to kill a single target. “This is another bad idea by someone who thinks that there has to be a technical solution to every possible military challenge,” our own Jason Sigger quipped.

But U.S. Strategic Command boss Gen. Kevin Chilton wants the CSM, bad — and is pushing for a 2015 debut. To make the strike missile more accurate, Lockheed will take the body from its FALCON hypersonic test craft, and use it as a maneuverable “shroud” to protect the CSM’s warhead, as it streaks towards its target. “With an HTV-type system, you have a vehicle with more lift and less drag. It could stay in the atmosphere much longer, thus cruising longer so it’s trajectory wouldn’t have to be ballistic,” a source familiar with the program notes. “You might also launch it on a more generic rocket as opposed to an existing ICBM. But the key point is it would likely not be confused with a nuclear warhead.”