The United States military has successfully
completed testing of its
Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM) program. The CKEM is 60 inches long
and weighs in at less than 100 pounds. The projectile travels at a top speed of
Mach 6.5+ over a distance of 1,300 feet to five miles and destroys the intended
target using kinetic energy. No explosive warhead is needed aboard the
projectile as the force of the impact is enough to destroy (or at least
critically damage) its target. The CKEM is destined to fill lethality gaps
between targets Enhanced Reactive Armor (EAR) and Active Protection Systems
(APS). The CKEM weapon system can be integrated into existing and future
military platforms and gives soldiers a lethal tool at their disposal to take
out fortified targets. Most recently, the
CKEM completed its final flight test under the ATD program against a T-72
tank equipped with EAR. The T-72 was targeted and destroyed from a distance of
just over two miles. The CKEM is destined to enter service sometime in 2008.
