Leidos company announced that its Small Cruise Missile (SCM), also known as BLACK ARROW, has successfully completed captive carry and store safe separation flight tests and it is now ready for guided flight tests from a US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) aircraft.

The store separation testing has been conducted from an AC-130J, providing positive and multiple feedback: “confirmed digital twin predictions of safe separation, benign store dynamics, and trajectory characteristics.” The tests also demonstrated a complete integration with the Naval Battle Management System (BMS), operational flight software function, navigation performance, and flight safety system functionality.

Leidos started this project in 2021, signing a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the US Special Operations Command PEO-Fixed Wing and AFSOC. As stated by the company, BLACK ARROW’s design sees a low-cost, service-common, mission-adaptable “delivery platform” designed to facilitate future spiral upgrades for both kinetic and non-kinetic missions. The SCM could be “launched from a ramp, via a pallet or conventional means.” The origins of the project are based on the company's experiences maturated with the GBU-69 Small Glide Munition (SGM) and DARPA X-61 Gremlins, using model-based systems engineering, additive manufacturing, and AI optimization practices to support the timely and cost-effective development of the SCM. The missile is being developed for multi-service use.

US Air Force has been experimenting with a number of munitions for launch from cargo aircraft, dropping palletized AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Missiles from the ramp area of C-130s and C-17s. AFSOC has also explored launching several kinds of missiles from AC-130s, either from wing stations or the cargo bay. Despite some critics, the USAF initiative is focused on creating dilemmas in the adversary’s targeting process, requiring treating cargo aircraft as potential shooters.

Leidos, a US company with headquarters in Reston, Virginia, has a global workforce of 48,000, and it is focused on creating smarter technology solutions for customers in heavily regulated industries and extremely competitive fields such as Defense and Health.

Follow us on Telegram.