French Beat Back Supersonic Anti-ship Missiles

choi

(1) Aster Slays The Russian Dragon. Strategy Page, Apr 15, 2012
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htada/articles/20120415.aspx

Quote:

"The GQM-163A is the first US target missile to successfully use ramjet engines

"These fast Russian missiles are considered 'carrier killers,' but it's not known how many of them would have to hit a carrier to knock it out of action, much less sink it. Moreover, Russian missiles have little combat experience, and a reputation for erratic performance. Quality control was never a Soviet strength

Note:
(a) The title is an exaggeration. What happened was French succeeded in using an American-made supersonic anti-ship missile in a simulation to test its warship against a possile Russian missile of the same characterstics. See (2).
(b) US Navy has been there, done that for quite some time. Strategy Page a year ago reported the American feat, with the same target missile (both variants, not just the sea-skimming one as French just did).
(c) Aster (missile family
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aster_(missile_family)
(c) French ship Forbin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_ship_Forbin
(Six ships of the French Navy have been named Forbin in honour of the 17th century admiral Claude Forbin-Gardanne, included "A Horizon CNGF first-rank frigate, currently in commission (Forbin)")
(i) Claude de Forbin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_de_Forbin
(1656-1733; French; section 1.2 War with England: 1706 and 1707)
(ii) Horizon class frigate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon_class_frigate
(the project is now a French/Italian effort following the withdrawal of Britain; For French navy, the lead ship is Forbin (pennant number D620; commissioned 2008))
(d) 3M-54 Klub
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3M-54_Klub
("In one variant, the 3M-54E (Sizzler), the final stage makes a supersonic 'sprint' to its target, reducing the time the target's defense systems have to react)

Klub is also written Club. Why or its meaning, I do not know.


(2) GQM-163A Coyote SSST (Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target) missile
is built by Orbital Sciences Corporation (headquarters Dulles, Virginia).

Press release: Orbital Launches 25th Coyote Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target Missile For US Navy; High-speed anti-ship cruise missile target becomes a mainstay in Navy’s fleet protection exercises. Orbital Science Corp, July 2011.
http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/PrinterFriendly.asp?prid=783

Two consecutive paragraphs:

"The target missile design integrates a four-inlet, solid-fuel ducted-rocket ramjet propulsion system into a compact missile airframe 18 feet long and 14 inches in diameter. Ramjet supersonic takeover speed is achieved using a decommissioned Navy MK 70 solid rocket motor for the first stage. Rail-launched from naval test and training ranges, the highly maneuverable Coyote achieves cruise speeds of over Mach 2.5 following the separation of the MK 70 first-stage booster. The range of the target vehicle system is approximately 50 nautical miles at altitudes of less than 20 feet above the sea surface.

"Orbital also has designed and flight-tested a 'high-diver' variant of the Coyote missile. During the flight test, the vehicle achieved an altitude of 35,000 feet, traveled at Mach 3.3 and approached its target point at a 40-degree downward angle. 　

Note:
(a) GQM-163 Coyote is a TARGET missile (in missile defense), not a weapon in itself.
(b) For "ducted," see ducted fan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducted_fan
(whereby a fan, which is a type of propeller, is mounted within a cylindrical shroud or duct)
(c) ramjet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramjet
(d) Regarding "Mk 70"
(i) Mk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mk
(In science and technology: "Mark (designation), a designation used to identify versions of a product or item")
(ii) Mark (designation)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_(designation)
(section 1.2 United States Navy section 2.1 Military)
(e) Quotation 2 tells of two types of GQM-163: sea-skimming and high diver. The latter shoots upwards to the sky, traverses the atmosphere and dives to the target.