Rapid Dragon completes flight demonstration
U.S. Air Force personnel load a Rapid Dragon deployment system onto an MC-130J aircraft. (Photo: US Air Force)
The Rapid Dragon program is a fast-paced experimentation campaign led by the Air Force Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation.
The US Air Force Rapid Dragon program completed another successful flight demonstration on 3 November 2021.
The test demonstrated the deployment of a production long-range cruise missile separation test vehicle, a cruise missile without an engine and warhead, from the palletised weapons system.
While the aircraft was en-route to the White Sands Missile Range drop zone, the crew used a BLoS C2 node to receive new targeting data for the onboard battle management system, which was then uploaded to the palletised weapon.
This was a first-time achievement as all previous BLoS retargeting demonstrations sued a cruise missile emulator.
In addition to showcasing the utility of delivering stand-off munitions en masse via mobility aircraft, this demonstration repeated and validated several milestones.
It celebrated successful high-altitude airdrop using a modular Rapid Dragon deployment system, successful jettison of multiple weapons from the Rapid Dragon deployment system and weapon de-confliction through the clean separation of the STV and multiple cruise missile simulants.
This demonstration paves the way for the first deployment of a live long-range cruise missile underpowered flight from an AFSOC MC-130J.
The Rapid Dragon program is progressing from concept to powered flight/live fire within 24 months
More from Air Warfare
-
![December Drone Digest: Germany, Australia and US champion indigenous UAV production]()
December Drone Digest: Germany, Australia and US champion indigenous UAV production
One of the key trends seen in December has been the rise in indigenous investment within the UAV market, particularly across certain countries, with Germany, Australia and the US focusing on their commitments to sovereign development.
-
![Portugal signals interest in establishing A-29N final assembly line]()
Portugal signals interest in establishing A-29N final assembly line
As the launch customer for the NATO-configured variant, Portugal also took delivery of the first five A-29N aircraft from its order for 12, placed in 2024.
-
![Podcast: Critical Care episode 5 - Sustaining Europe’s frontline from Heidelberg]()
Podcast: Critical Care episode 5 - Sustaining Europe’s frontline from Heidelberg
As Europe ramps up defence investment in the wake of the Ukraine crisis, the spotlight is turning to how nations sustain their growing fleets.
