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Penetrator warhead sled tests of the Revolutionary Approach To Time-critical Long Range Strike, or RATTLRS, were successfully completed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, in mid October. During the tests, a simulated nose and inlet structure of an air-breathing cruise missile was tested against hardened bunkers. The airframe was accelerated to supersonic speeds greater than Mach 2. The warhead penetrated cleanly and completely through concrete barriers. Recovered hardware showed that the warhead remained structurally intact. This testing validates that lightweight penetrator warheads, when coupled with high-speed vehicles, provide the same depth of significantly heavier penetrators. Lockheed Martin and Allison are developing RATTLRS, a supersonic missile flight demonstrator. The sled tests are part of the development effort.
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