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Lightweight, Low Cost, Multiweapon Missile Canister
Navy SBIR 2012.1 - Topic N121-063 NAVSEA - Mr. Dean Putnam - [email protected] Opens: December 12, 2011 - Closes: January 11, 2012 N121-063 TITLE: Lightweight, Low Cost, Multiweapon Missile Canister TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Weapons ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO IWS 3.0, ACAT II (VLS MK 41; VLS MK 57 ) Vertical Launchers RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted". The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected. OBJECTIVE: Develop a light weight solution for the current steel multipack canisters used with MK 41 and MK 57 Vertical Launching Systems (VLS). DESCRIPTION: The MK 41 and MK 57 VLS (Vertical Launching Systems) utilize unique missile specific canisters for the safe transport, storage, and launch of missiles. Once a missile is canistered, the canister must provide an environment that is safe throughout the lifecycle of the missile. When the missile is fired, the canister serves as its launching rail. It is also an integral part of the gas management system. The canisters must be weather tight, very straight, impact and drop resistant, and able to survive a restrained-fire event (when the ignited missile fails to egress from launch canister) without the risk of sympathetic detonation of the adjacent round. Canisters must also safely withstand a near miss shock event as defined by MIL-STD-901 and maintain integrity with internal pressures up to 100 psi created by missile egress from the launcher. Although the canister's internal components are unique to interface with specific missiles, the exterior interface of all canisters is identical. This common exterior interface allows for placement of any missile canister in any location in a launcher and minimizes the need for unique handling equipment. One of the most unique canisters in the Navy inventory is the MK 25, an approximately 25-inch square steel canister over 225 inches in length and weighing over 3200 pounds. This canister has four sub canisters each housing a separate Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM). New missile systems, such as those being developed as follow-ons to the current ESSM, tend to grow in size and weight to address increasingly capable threats. To maintain the total system weight of missile plus canister at approximately the same level, the canister becomes a useful opportunity for weight reduction to offset weight gain in the missile. Fabricating major canister components from composites (or other lightweight materials) can provide a technically sound approach to a lower canister weight, but manufacturing costs run the risk of being prohibitively high. The overall square geometry with small radius corners is crucial to maintain fit with existing USN Vertical Launching System infrastructure and to provide ample internal space to package missiles and their control surfaces. Durability and life cycle costs are also issues that need to be addressed. Summarizing, the existing steel canisters need to be replaced with lighter material(s) such as composites, fabricated through lower cost manufacturing such as pultrusion, and cost effective through possible reduced parts count based on unique design. The innovation is to identify and develop material(s) that can meet the severe requirements described above (i.e., missile launch environment, adjacent launch environment, near miss shock, low weight etc). Innovation will also be needed in the fabrication of the canister. PHASE I: Develop a concept including materials for a light weight replacement for the current MK 41 VLS canister, meeting or exceeding the key performance parameters of this baseline configuration. Assess this concept with respect to innovative manufacturing process automation, performance in the launch environment, potential for enhanced full life-cycle affordability in acquisition, operation in the fleet, and maintenance. Develop a Phase II development plan with milestones and tests. PHASE II: Based on the Phase I results and the Phase II plan, finalize the canister concept, produce test hardware, build a prototype, and conduct testing and evaluation to affirm the ability of the prototype to meet the critical parameters driving the design selection. Project production cost of the composite hardware in low rate production. Develop Phase III plan to transition the technology. PHASE III: Should a Phase III contract be awarded, the company will work with the Navy and the prime canister design agent to transition the newly developed light weight canister. This means the small business will participate in the development and testing of a full scale canister, followed by eventual fielding in a Program of Record. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Light weight square geometry pressure vessels have potential for Automotive, Air Transportation applications and low-cost, lightweight structural/hydrostatic building materials for commercial construction. REFERENCES: 2. Legowick, Ronald, 2001,"Next Generation Composite Canister for Missile Defense Applications," presented at the Defense Manufacturing Conference. 3. http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/mk-41-vls.htm KEYWORDS: Composite materials, missile canister, automated manufacturing, missile launcher, pultrusion, filament winding
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