SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman announced the successful demonstration of an air-to-air test missile from an underwater launch system at the Aberdeen Test Center in Maryland.
U.S. company Northrop Grumman says it has demonstrated a successful launch of a Raytheon AIM-9X air-to-air test missile from a submerged Tomahawk Capsule Launching System. The successful test, part of the Littoral Warfare Weapon project, marks a milestone for a payload not designed for an undersea environment.
Officials say the demonstration marks the first time an AIM-9X test missile shape has been launched from underwater and represents a new defense capability for submarine fleets.
"This test demonstrates that underwater launch payloads no longer need to be designed and built to withstand the rigors of the undersea environment," David Perry, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Marine Systems unit, said in a statement.
"By adapting the encapsulation technology Northrop Grumman pioneered for the Tomahawk Capsule Launching System, we have removed a significant barrier to launching many types of airborne payloads."
