Dynetics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leidos, on Thursday announced that it has been awarded a contract to increase the capacity for America’s hypersonic flight testing. The program, known as Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB), was awarded by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane division on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense.
MACH-TB supports hypersonic programs by creating opportunities to test technologies with robust, agile, and modular approaches. It will demonstrate ways to affordably prototype a test bed that leverages multiple, commercially-available launch vehicles for hypersonic payloads.
The data collected from the test will provide insight to the DoD on technology improvement and capability validation, enabling a more robust and successful development of hypersonic weapon systems. MACH-TB will also provide a modular Experimental Glide Body (EGB) to create opportunities for technologies to be tested in relevant hypersonic environments to inform acquisition decisions for weapon systems.
“We’re honored to be a part of this innovative and vital initiative,” said Leidos’ Dynetics Group President, Steve Cook. “Hypersonics are a top priority for our nation, and we’re honored to be a part of this innovative and vital initiative.”
Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones told Alabama Today, “Since 1974, Dynetics has been an integral part of the business climate in north Alabama. Started by two engineers, Hershel Matheny and Dr. Steve Gilbert, the company grew from 25 employees in its early days in Huntsville to thousands of employees today in multiple locations across 11 states.”
“In January 2020, Leidos Holdings, Inc., a FORTUNE® 500 science and technology leader, acquired Dynetics, which, according to Dynetics, strengthened the company’s innovation and leadership position in defense, intelligence, and civil markets while extending its portfolio with new offerings and technical capabilities,” Jones explained. “The October 2022 hypersonic flight test research and development contract award is exciting news for Dynetics, our state’s economy, and national security.”
This hypersonics flight test bed will bring to fruition a centralized hypersonic testing capability that can be leveraged by Navy Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS), Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Air Force hypersonics programs, DoD research programs, small businesses, industry, and academia stakeholders. This program was initiated by the Navy’s CPS Program and will be managed by OSD’s Test Resources Management Center (TRMC) and executed by NSWC Crane.
Dynetics will work with the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) and a team of over 20 partners across industries, small businesses, national laboratories, and academia to develop and execute the program. The planned partners include Peraton, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Stratolaunch, JRC Integrated Systems, NineTwelve Institute, Corvid, SpinLaunch, Varda, Kitty Hawk Technologies, Systima Division of Karman Space and Defense, Sandia National Laboratories, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, X-Bow Systems, RLNS and other experts in hypersonics.
“We have always been fortunate to work in an industry where missions align on a single focus: protecting our nation,” Cook said. “Our team is comprised of some of the best in the industry and dedicated to solving tomorrow’s problems today.”
The Work will be performed in Crane, Indiana, Huntsville, Alabama, and the National Capital Region.
Dynetics provides responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific, IT solutions to national security, cybersecurity, space, and critical infrastructure sectors.
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