Armiger first flight. (Digest).

An Armiger test vehicle recently completed its maiden flight at Germany's Bundeswehr Meldorfer Bucht firing range. The test vehicle, containing a solid rocket booster and not the final ram rocket motor, was rail-launched from a ground-based launcher, flew a ballistic trajectory and impacted about nine kilometres down-range. Main objectives of this test were to assess safe separation from the launcher, booster performance, as well as the validation of the aerodynamics and strength of the infrared window and missile structure. The Armiger is a new technology anti-radiation missile with intelligent guidance and extended range being developed by Bodenseewerk Geratetechnik. It has a dual-mode RF/IIR seeker providing maximum protection against countermeasures and pinpoint hit accuracy against enemy radars and non-radiating targets. The Armiger includes a neural-network, self-learning guidance computer and autopilot and GPS/INS midcourse guidance. It has a Mach 3 ramrocket motor for increased range and reduced time to target.