Ramjet tests mark progress on THOR-ER programme
THOR-ER flight vehicle moments after being launched on 17 August 2022. (Photo: OSDA)
Norwegian-US research team say its solid-fuel ramjet has the potential to improve the range, time to target, and agility of hypersonic missiles.
The Tactical High-speed Offensive Ramjet for Extended Range (THOR-ER) project team has completed two test firings of a solid-fuel ramjet (SFRJ) vehicle in Norway, the DoD revealed on 5 October.
The 17-18 August tests ‘satisfied the THOR-ER Phase 1 objectives of demonstrating jointly-developed propulsion technologies in flight, including new high energy fuels, advanced air injection, and throttling methodologies which will be essential for mission flexible SFRJ systems of the future’, the DoD noted in a statement.
The first flight demonstrated an unguided vehicle with ‘robust SFRJ operation across a wide range of altitudes and speeds’, the DoD added.
The second test focused on a high thrust flight profile.
Both flights successfully demonstrated high supersonic speeds before the ramjet burned out and splashed down.
Programme officials will continue to evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.
Initiated in April 2020, THOR-ER is a collaborative effort between the US and Norway to develop prototype technologies for long-range, high-speed and hypersonic weapons.
Shephard subsequently reported that a weapon arising from the THOR-ER programme has the potential to be smaller, more affordable, fit on a wider range of platforms and accommodate a seeker.
More from Air Warfare
-
![German Navy in “ramp-up” phase as it welcomes first NH90 Sea Tiger delivery]()
German Navy in “ramp-up” phase as it welcomes first NH90 Sea Tiger delivery
With all 31 aircraft set to be delivered by 2030, the helicopters will gradually replace the ageing Sea Lynx fleet which are due to be retired in 2026.
-
![The future is here: Sixth-gen air dominance]()
The future is here: Sixth-gen air dominance
How RTX is equipping the military airspace – for today’s fleet and tomorrow’s fight.
-
![Will fresh FCAS talks resolve political turmoil?]()
Will fresh FCAS talks resolve political turmoil?
German, French and Spanish leadership set an end-of-year deadline to decide the fate of the Future Combat Air System programme which has struggled with a political stalemate for the latter half of 2025.
-
![Germany acquires additional 20 H145M helicopters]()
Germany acquires additional 20 H145M helicopters
The order for the extra helicopters comes from an agreement penned in December 2023, with the German Army receiving the bulk of the platforms.
-
![Anduril UK and GKN Aerospace collaborate on British Army ACP bid]()
Anduril UK and GKN Aerospace collaborate on British Army ACP bid
The pair will submit their demonstrator concept for Project Nyx, a development project for the British Army’s Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform.
-
![US Army command’s Picatinny CLIK common lethal drone interface makes progress]()
US Army command’s Picatinny CLIK common lethal drone interface makes progress
The Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit is designed to overcome the issue of unique integration methods between lethal payloads and drones as well as avoiding problematic acquisition conditions created by vendor lock.
