Low Cost VARTM Composite Manufacturing Process for Missile Launch Canisters

Missile defense system components, such as THAAD, PAC-3, and MEADS, use mobile missile launchers that transport, erect, and launch the missiles from canisters. The function of the canister is to protect the missile from damage during storage, transport, installation on the launcher, transportation on the launcher in field environments, and missile launch. Key design requirements for the canister include lightweighting for mobility and transportability, severe acceleration loads, thermal loads, ballistic impact resistance to small arms fire, corrosion-resistance, and low cost production and system life cycle cost. In Phase I, the feasibility was demonstrated for a high performance Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (HyPerVARTM) composite structure manufacturing process, and a high performance sandwich core construction (HyPerCore) structural design concept to provide low cost, lightweight missile launch canisters with ballistic impact-resistant materials to defeat small arms fire and other threats. A subscale HyPerCore composite end frame was fabricated. HyPerCore flat panel test articles were fabricated and tested to demonstrate lightweight, ballistic impact-resistance to Class III-A small arms fire threats. A lightweight HyPerSHIELD concept was formulated to meet the severe sniper fire armor piercing bullet threat. A Phase II program is proposed to develop and demonstrate full-scale prototype components using HyPerVARTM, HyPerCore, and HyPerSHIELD composite technologies for missile launch canisters for THAAD, PAC-3, and other similar missile defense system components.