The non-line-of-sight launch system (NLOS-LS) was a self-contained

missile A missile is an airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight aided usually by a propellant, jet engine or rocket motor. Historically, 'missile' referred to any projectile that is thrown, shot or propelled towards a target; this ...

launcher system that was under development by NETFIRES LLC, a partnership between

Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...

and

Raytheon Raytheon is a business unit of RTX Corporation and is a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. Founded in 1922, it merged in 2020 with Unite ...

. Each Container Launch Unit (CLU) holds 15 missiles, and a self-locating networked communications system. CLUs can be linked for coordinated launching, with the missiles fired and controlled remotely via autonomous vertical launch. The weapon is roughly 2 metres tall. The program was cancelled early 2011. It was being developed for the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

Littoral Combat Ship A littoral combat ship (LCS) is either of two classes of relatively small surface vessels designed for littoral warfare in near-shore operations by the United States Navy. It was "envisioned to be a networked, agile, stealthy surface comba ...

, but has been criticised for performance issues. The Griffin missile has been recommended for use instead. NLOS-LS was to be used primarily on the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

's Future Combat Systems before it was canceled.

Concept

There were to be two types of missile used with NLOS-LS: the precision attack munition (PAM) and the loitering attack munition (LAM). The LAM was originally contracted to

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) is one of the four core business areas for American company Lockheed Martin. MFC provides air and missile defense systems; tactical missiles and air-to-ground precision strike weapon systems; logisti ...

, but the contract was terminated after costs rose and tests went poorly, after which, the PAM was the only armament currently being designed for the NLOS-LS. * Height: * Length: * Width:

Precision attack munition (PAM)

Used to attack vehicles, armor,

bunker A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs, artillery, or other attacks. Bunkers are almost always underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground. T ...

s, and other targets of opportunity. Uses 3 modes of

guidance Guidance may refer to: Arts and media * Guidance (album), ''Guidance'' (album), by American instrumental rock band Russian Circles * Guidance (film), ''Guidance'' (film), a Canadian comedy film released in 2014 * Guidance (web series), ''Guidance ...

, GPS/INS, semi-active laser homing, and autonomous imaging infrared. Carries a multi-mode

warhead A warhead is the section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic (biological, chemical, or nuclear) material that is delivered by a missile, rocket (weapon), rocket, torpedo, or bomb. Classification Types of warheads include: *E ...

effective against several types of targets. It also includes an online library of pictures of targets, so that it can visually identify what it is homing in on.

Specifications

* Weight: * Diameter: * Length: * Guidance:

GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geol ...

INS INS or Ins may refer to: Places * Ins, Switzerland, a municipality * Creech Air Force Base (IATA airport code INS) * Indonesia, ITF and UNDP code INS * INS Park, an entertainment complex in China Biology *'' Ins'', a New World genus of bee flie ...

imaging infrared Infrared thermography (IRT), thermal video or thermal imaging, is a process where a thermal camera captures and creates an image of an object by using infrared radiation emitted from the object in a process, which are examples of infrared imag ...

semi-active laser homing Laser guidance directs a robotics system to a target position by means of a laser beam. The laser guidance of a robot is accomplished by projecting a laser light, image processing and communication to improve the accuracy of guidance. The key ide ...

. * Datalink: Networked for in-flight updates, retargeting and images. * Motor: Variable thrust

rocket motor A rocket engine is a reaction engine, producing thrust in accordance with Newton's third law by ejecting reaction mass rearward, usually a high-speed jet of high-temperature gas produced by the combustion of rocket propellants stored inside t ...

. * Range:

Loitering attack munition (LAM)

loitering munition A loitering munition, also known as a suicide drone, kamikaze drone, or exploding drone, is a weapon with a warhead that is typically designed to Loiter (aeronautics), loiter until a target is designated, then crash into it.loiter while autonomously seeking out targets. * Datalink: networked for in-flight updates, retargeting and images * Motor: micro

turbojet The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, and ...

* Range: with 30 min loiter time

Development

* November 2002 – First guided flight of precision attack missile. * December 2005 – Successful loitering attack missile boost test vehicle (BTV) flight test at Eglin Air Force Base, FL. * April 2007 – Successful test launch of a precision attack missile from a CLU at

White Sands Missile Range White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) is a United States Army military testing area and firing range located in the US state of New Mexico. The range was originally established in 1941 as the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range, where the Trinity t ...

. * June 2007 – Successful test of precision attack missile warhead against a fortified bunker. * November 2008 – Successful first test of precision attack missile fired from container launch unit. Scores hit on T-72 tank. * May 2009 – Captive flight test clears way for over-water flights to test capability against small boats. * Feb 2010 – Four out of six missiles fail to hit their targets in a limited user test. * April 2010 – US Army calls for program to be canceled. * 3 May 2010 – The U.S. Army removes the system from their website. * 12 May 2010 – House Armed Services seapower and expeditionary forces subcommittee moves R&D funding to Navy budget. * 18 May 2010 – Defense Department approved an Army recommendation to cancel the program * 6 Jan 2011 – DefSec Gates announces end of program. * 2012 – US Navy was to begin at-sea testing of LCS surface missile module.

References

External links

Non Line of Sight-Launch System - Lockheed Martin

Raytheon Missile Systems NLOS-LS
{{US missiles Proposed weapons of the United States United States Army equipment Raytheon Company products