Test firings of Polyphem missile prove functional capabilities of latest technologies
Munich, 15 September 2000
Munich - At several test firings and other trials of Polyphem, the functional capabilities of all the latest technologies used in this fibre optic guided missile system have been proved. The development work on missile has thus successfully completed an important stage. By employing a modular concept, the Polyphem family offers a broad spectrum of cost-saving solutions for the tasks of both Navy and Army.
This was announced by LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH (LFK), which is integrated into the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), in Munich on Friday.
The test firings at the German Army's Meppen test site and at the LFK site at Schrobenhausen near Ingolstadt completely fulfilled the expectations with regard to aerodynamic behaviour, the fibre optic link between missile and firing post, the newly developed folding fins, the booster engine, the self-destruct system and the multifunction warhead. At several firings, the tests focused on components that have been improved since the last free flight in 1997. These include:
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the upgraded booster engine,
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the fibre optic reel for long ranges,
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the new aerodynamic missile configuration for greater ranges,
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the novel fin geometry with new folding mechanism,
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the self-destruct device and
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the modified launching tube.
In Schrobenhausen, the terminal effectiveness of the new multipurpose warhead was proved for deployment against sea targets, against hardened concrete targets and against targets of steel.
"The successful tests have proved LFK's technological competence and what the company can achieve in collaborative projects with its European partners. There are now no further doubts about the operability of this missile concept, which is unique in the world" stated LFK's Managing Director Peter Ibbeken in an assessment of the successful demonstrations. Next year the tests are due to be continued and will include two free flights over long ranges. It will be possible to start on production engineering within only a few years. The army version of Polyphem is undergoing development by the three industrial partners LFK, Aerospatiale Matra Missiles and Italmissile within the framework of the Trifom (Trilateral Fibre-Optic Missile) programme. In addition, this missile system can also be deployed from ships, submarines and helicopters as well as for coastal defence tasks. Polyphem can be used by day or by night to combat moving (including aerial) or stationary targets. The operator can intervene in missile control from a protected position at a great range at any time so as to alter the automatically identified and selected targets, or to abort the mission.
Apart from its great range capability (up to 60 kilometres), Polyphem excels through its high accuracy and image processing, thus preventing collateral damage. The German Navy plans to arm its new K 130 class corvettes with this light missile system.
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