Wanted: hypersonic missile with standardized payload interface able to carry out several kinds of missions
March 3, 2022
Potential $334 million Mayhem project seeks a standardized payload interface for multi-mission payload integration within the same hypersonic system.
John Keller
Hypersonic 3 March 2022
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio – U.S. Air Force researchers are kicking off a shadowy project to develop a large air-breathing missile able to carry out several different kinds of missions with a standardized payload interface.
Officials of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, issued a broad agency announcement on Monday (FA8650-17-S-2002_Call_003) for the Expendable Hypersonic Multi-Mission ISR and Strike (Mayhem) program.
This potential $334 million project seeks to provide a significant technological advancement and future capability, with a standardized payload interface that would create several different opportunities for payload integration within the same hypersonic system.
It is expected that Mayhem payloads will involve delivering kinetic or explosive weapons, or intelligence and reconnaissance sensor payloads at hypersonic speeds. Hypersonic typically refers to objects traveling faster than Mach 5, or 3,836 miles per hour.
https://www.militaryaerospace.com/sensors/article/14234862/hypersonic-payload-interface
