Technologies for Containerizing and Vertically Launching Multiple Missiles Simultaneously

This program will provide the Army with an advanced design for a missile launch canister for the Extended Area Protection and Survivability (EAPS) system. The EAPS Canister is based on the Non-Line of Sight Launch System (NLOS-LS) Container Launch Unit (CLU), which was originally developed by San Diego Composites (SDC) and Lockheed Martin (LM). The NLOS launch system is a vertically launched system that is unique because it highly portable, provides transportation and launch shock isolation, and does not require an external plume management system. This uniqueness and capability also makes the system more complex than a standard launch canister. The EAPS program plans on taking the technology developed for the NLOS canister and pushing it one step further by packaging multiple missiles within each canister. This presents some packaging and operational difficulties associated with isolating each missile from the effects of the launch environments such as plume flow. However, SDC developed the original NLOS canister, specializes in launch canisters, and therefore is well positioned to develop an EAPS canister that meets the requirements set forth in this SBIR. SDC will accomplish this through a system approach which considers requirements, materials and operational environments as variables in the final design.