Falcons inspire MUTANT missile development: Weapon of the week

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

WHEN YOU HEAR THE TERM “MUTANT” YOU MIGHT THINK OF A CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD B-MOVIE, OR MAYBE THOSE HEROES IN A HALF-SHELL, THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES. BUT THE AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB, OR AFRL, IS HOPING TO  ADD A NEW DEFINITION TO YOUR MENTAL ROLODEX. 

MEET THE MUTANT. ON THE SURFACE IT LOOKS, LIKE MOST ANY OTHER MISSILE. BUT LIKE IT’S NAME SUGGESTS, THERE’S SOMETHING DIFFERENT AT WORK HERE. THAT WOULD BE THE ARTICULATION CONTROL ACTUATION SYSTEM. TO PUT IT IN LAYMAN’S TERMS, THE HEAD AND FINS OF THE MISSILE CAN MOVE TO MEET THE TARGET. THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS APPLICATION CAME FROM ANOTHER PREDATOR. 

[Dr. Ben Dickinson, Research Engineer, Air Force Research Laboratory]

They noticed a really interesting thing when these Falcons would intercept their prey. As the head moved, the tail would move. And there seemed to be a cause-and-effect relationship between head movement and tell them apart from that, there’s a target tracking the target detection function of the head. And so this got us thinking because Falcons have the same objectives as missiles and interceptors, get the target and capture.

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

PROPERLY INSPIRED, THE AFRL ENGINEERS SET ABOUT TURNING AN IDEA INTO A REALITY. THE MISSILE ON DISPLAY AT THE RECENT AIR WARFARE SYMPOSIUM IS THE END RESULT OF YEARS OF WORK. THE MUTANT, WHICH IS AN ACRONYM FOR MISSILE UTILITY TRANSFORMATION VIA ARTICULATED NOSE TECHNOLOGY, IS A WEAPON THAT CAN ADJUST FOR SLIGHT MISSES, WHILE IN FLIGHT. HELPING TO ENSURE THAT WHEN A PUNCH IS THROWN, IT HITS THE TARGET, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE. AS FOR HOW THAT PUNCH IS THROWN, THEY’RE STILL WORKING ON IT. 

[Dr. Ben Dickinson, Research Engineer, Air Force Research Laboratory] 

We’re exploring a broad target set, we’re looking at offensive roles, we’re looking at defensive roles, we’re looking at surface launch functions. All of these kind of go into our figuring about the future instance of a system that may employ this technology to provide overall operational value to the warfighter.

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE MUTANT IS SET FOR TESTING LATER THIS YEAR WITH THE HELLFIRE MISSILE. AS FOR WHEN IT MIGHT BE READY FOR USE IN THE REAL WORLD, THAT, AS THEY SAY, IS TBD.