Have Dash
Have Dash was a program of the U.S. Air Force to develop a stealth air -to-air medium-range missile.
Description
Have Dash I
Relatively little is known about the Dash I Have. The missile force as a " classified project" was to be designed from 1985 to 1988 at the USAF Armament Laboratory in development and should specifically for the use of stealth aircraft. The Dash Have I failed already in the design phase for unknown reasons; there was no missile ever built.
Have Dash II
In 1990, the Have- Dash program was reactivated. The now " Have Dash II " referred to as the missile should be adjusted for the "Advanced Tactical Fighter " program and later replace the just launched AIM -120 AMRAAM.
The missile has been produced from composite materials, and had a trapezoidal shape. This aerodynamic rather unfavorable shape was chosen in order to reduce the radar cross-section to better absorb the heat of friction at high speeds (as operation speed Mach 5 was aimed at, but this was never reached during the test program ) to provide a better lift and after missile launch. The prototype was the Rocketdyne Mk 58 solid rocket motor of the AIM -7 Sparrow equipped to save costs. For series production, however, a ramjet was provided. For navigation, a dual system of infrared seeker and active radar was provided.
Early 1992 some test shots were made with the Have Dash II where no results have been published. Shortly thereafter, the entire program has been discontinued and partially used for the further development of the AIM -120 AMRAAM.
Specifications
- Length: 3.60 m
- Weight: 180 kg
- Speed: approximately Mach 4
- Range: 50 km
- Propulsion: Rocketdyne MK 58 MOD 5 solid rocket motor