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Aerojet Rocketdyne SM-3 Block IIA TDACS Completes Second Full System Hot Fire Testing

Written by: developer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 29, 2013) – Aerojet Rocketdyne, a GenCorp (NYSE: GY) company, announced that it completed its second Throttling Divert and Attitude Control System (TDACS) fully-integrated flight weight system hot fire test for the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA guided missile program. The SM-3 program is managed by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) with Raytheon Missile Systems as the prime contractor.

This second of several SM-3 Block IIA TDACS development and qualification units was altitude tested at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Sacramento headquarters. The success of this test demonstrates the readiness of the SM-3 Block IIA TDACS design for the upcoming Critical Design Review (CDR).

“The fact that we had two successful hot fire tests in two months demonstrates the maturity of the design,” said Dave Parker, executive director for SM-3 Programs for Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Missile Defense and Strategic Systems Business Unit. “Using lessons learned from the SM-3 Block IB guided missile program, we used a hardware-rich development program for critical risk reduction testing, and utilized production-level drawings integrated and assembled by the technicians that would be doing the work. These two adjustments greatly accelerated the transition to manufacturing and allowed us to achieve the affordability goals established at the beginning of the program. So far the approach is working — our upcoming CDR will be the complete validation of that approach.”

The SM-3 Block IIA TDACS is being developed at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Sacramento facility, where the SM-3 Block IB TDACS also is produced. SM-3 Block IIA guided missile, developed as a SM-3 Cooperative Development Program with Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MOD), as part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach, uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy targets, and is designed to engage threat ballistic missiles outside of the Earth’s atmosphere during the mid-course phase of an incoming missile.

Aerojet Rocketdyne is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader providing propulsion and energetics to the space, missile defense, strategic, tactical missile, and armaments areas in support of domestic and international markets. GenCorp is a diversified company providing innovative solutions to its customers in the aerospace and defense, energy and real estate markets. Additional information about Aerojet Rocketdyne and GenCorp can be obtained by visiting the companies’ websites at www.Rocket.com and www.GenCorp.com.

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Contact:
Glenn Mahone, Aerojet Rocketdyne, 202.302.9941
[email protected] 
Kristin Conner, Aerojet Rocketdyne, 916.355.2143
[email protected]


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