Northrop Grumman and Orbital Sciences have teamed to bid on the Navy's Multi-Stage Supersonic Target (MSST) program, according to John VanBrabant, business development manager for the Northrop Grumman's target business. The job is a challenge in several ways, he says.

MSST has basically one mission, which is to test the Navy's defenses against the Russian Novator 3M-54E Klub, codenamed SS-N-27 Sizzler by NATO. Klub approaches its target as a medium-sized subsonic cruise missile - but then, 11 miles out, releases a rocket-powered terminal stage that flies at Mach 2.8, performing high-g evasive maneuvers at low level.

The Northrop-Orbital MSST design simulates Klub in its subsonic, separation and supersonic dash profiles. It draws on Northrop Grumman's experience with the BQM-74 target series (although it will be bigger) and Orbital's experience with the supersonic Coyote target. An added challenge, though, is that the Navy only wants 50 of the systems, for developmental tests (firing Mach 2.8 sea-skimmers at real ships is not a safe way to train) which places stress on low development costs. The Navy is expected to pick an MSST developer in August.