Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.has announced that the BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial Target (SSAT) has achieved Initial Operational Capability as reported by the US Navy. A NAVAIR website article stated
“On 27 February 2019 the US Navy’s next-generation Sub-Sonic Aerial Target (SSAT), the BQM-177A, reached its program milestone of Initial Operational Capability (IOC). The first site the BQM-177A will be operated from is Pt Mugu, California. The target is capable of speeds in excess of 0.9 Mach and a sea-skimming altitude as low as 10 feet which provides sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missile threat emulation for the US Navy.”
Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, said,
“We are incredibly proud to support the US Navy and our warfighters by providing these high performance unmanned jet target aircraft and appreciate the team relationship we have enjoyed with our Navy customer in developing and advancing the system to this critical milestone. We look forward to continuing to support the Navy for many years to come with the BQM-177A system and its abilities to replicate current and evolving threats.”
Source: Press Release
Oops! That’s not a 177A in the photo. The real one must have crashed into a million pieces!