GQM-163 Coyote
GQM-163 Coyote | |
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Production history | |
Manufacturer | Orbital Sciences |
Specifications | |
Length | 5.62m (18 ft 5.2 in) (without booster), 9.56m (31 ft 4.2 in) (incl. booster) |
Diameter | 35 cm (13.8 in), booster: 46 cm (17.99 in) |
Propellant | Aerojet MARC-R-282 solid-fueled ducted rocket/ramjet engine |
Operational range | >222 km (120nm) circa 445km (240nm) [1] |
Flight ceiling | 60,000 feet |
Flight altitude | Sea-skimming: 15 feet (cruise phase), 13ft (terminal phase) |
Boost time | Hercules MK 70 solid-fueled rocket |
Maximum speed | Mach 3.0-4.0 at 35,000-60,000ft, Mach 2.5 at 13-15ft |
The GQM-163 Coyote is a supersonic seaskimming target built by Orbital Sciences and used by the United States Navy as a successor to the MQM-8 Vandal. Orbital's proposal was chosen over the MA-31, a joint venture between Boeing and Zvezda-Strela. Orbital was awarded their contract for the development of the Coyote SSST in June 2000.
The Coyote is initially boosted by a Hercules MK-70 booster, of similar design to those used by the now obsolete RIM-67 Standard ER missiles. After the booster stage is expended the missile switches to an Aerojet MARC-R-282 solid-fuel rocket /ramjet engine for sustaining its flight. [2][3][4]
Operators