The US Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a $127-million contract to supply the 18th full production batch of GQM-163A Coyote supersonic sea-skimming targets (SSST).
It covers 28 GQM-163A targets and associated support for the US, Japan, and South Korea.
Work will primarily be performed in Arizona, in addition to other states across the US, and is scheduled for completion by August 2030.
The Naval Air Systems Command first awarded Northrop a contract in 2000 to produce the Coyote, which is now a program of record for the navy and marked as the only US-produced SSST.
Coyote SSST
Coyote SSSTs simulate advanced supersonic anti-ship cruise missile threats and are used by the US Navy and allied forces to train their ship defenses.
The non-recoverable target integrates a solid-fuel, air-breathing ducted rocket propulsion system. It blasts past Mach 2.5 (3,087 kilometers/1,918 miles per hour) while skimming just 15 feet (4.5 meters) over waves.
Moreover, it pulls 10g+ turns, letting it zig-zag like enemy missiles.
Meanwhile, its “High Diver” variant climbs to over 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) before diving at near-hypersonic speeds, according to Northrop Grumman.
With high-performance avionics, the SSST is capable of mimicking various enemy attacks for realistic training.
