US Navy Hires BAE Systems to Develop HVP

BAE Systems has received a $33.6 million contract from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to develop and demonstrate a Hyper Velocity Projectile (HVP).

The HVP is a next-generation, guided projectile capable of completing multiple missions for the Electromagnetic Railgun, as well as existing 5-inch and 155-mm gun systems. This competitive award marks the initiation of Phase 1A of the program.

“The HVP takes the next evolutionary step in providing an affordable, precise, multi-mission capability for multiple gun platforms,” said Chris Hughes, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems. “We look forward to applying our expertise and technologies to this important program.”

The HVP is designed to provide lethality and performance enhancements to current and future gun systems. The objective of the first phase is to produce a concept design and development roadmap towards fully guided flight demonstrations.

BAE Systems, along with teammates United Technologies and Custom Analytical Engineering Systems (CAES), will develop and demonstrate a modular, low drag HVP. The modular design will allow the HVP to be configured for multiple gun systems and to address different missions. BAE Systems will build on its recent Long Range Land Attack Projectile and Multi-Service Standard Guided Projectile development and demonstration successes to apply innovative and proven designs to the next-generation projectile.

Work on the HVP contract is expected to begin immediately, with its initial phase to be completed by June 2014. The development will be carried out by BAE Systems in Minneapolis, Minnesota; UTC Aerospace Systems in Vergennes, Vermont; and CAES in Flintstone, Maryland.

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Press Release, November 8, 2013; Image: BAE Systems