High Mach Airbreathing Target (HMAT)

Near-peer competitors are developing a rapidly evolving class of hypersonic airbreathing threats. In order to ensure defensive systems can counter these evolving threats, realistic hypersonic airbreathing targets are necessary. These targets must be developed rapidly, commensurate with an evolving, complex threat picture and must be capable of representing key characteristics of hypersonic threats affordably. Low-cost targets enable repeated testing and iterative progress of missile defense architectures while preserving program budget for the development of highly effective interceptors. Moreover, the requirements for a low-cost target bear substantial similarity to those of a low-cost, high-speed airbreathing weapon and as such, it is attractive (with adequate Operations Security measures) to leverage weapon development work to develop affordable targets as well as target work to develop affordable weapons. To this end, the proposed phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) effort will develop a High Mach Airbreathing Target (HMAT) vehicle as a variant of Specter Aerospace’s NiGHTHAWC (Next Generation Hypersonic Testing High Speed Airbreathing Weapon Concept) family of systems. The NiGHTHAWC platform is based on existing Specter Aerospace propulsion and airframe technologies which have been matured by over $29M of Department of Defense (DoD)/Venture Capital funding over the last six years. If successful, the proposed HMAT SBIR will result in the maturation the HMAT vehicle as a derivative of Specter Aerospace’s NiGHTHAWC Flight Test Vehicle to a preliminary design review level including three key technical milestones: 1. Development of a high-Mach propulsion system and qualification through direct connect and freejet testing. 2. Development of a guided 6 Degree of Freedom trajectory model. 3. Maturation of the High Mach Airbreathing Target Vehicle to a Preliminary Design Review level. Approved for Public Release | 25-MDA-12220 (23 Sep 25)