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Australian aerospace engineering company Hypersonix Launch Systems has announced an exclusive teaming agreement with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions.
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Under the agreement, Hypersonix will provide the three-metre-long, single-use scramjet DART AE Hypersonic System within the US market by integrating with Kratos’ Zeus family of solid rocket motors, according to statements made on 9 August.
Kratos will also initially procure up to 20 DART AE systems. The company has previously launched multiple Australian hypersonic missions in collaboration with the Defense and Science Technology Group and the University of Queensland.
Hypersonix chief executive officer David Waterhouse said both Hypersonix and Kratos view the teaming agreement as an important step towards rapid future hypersonic flights in the United States.
“We are excited to begin manufacturing and supplying DART AE vehicles to the US market as soon as possible,” he said.
“To team with a demonstrated, proven industry leader like Kratos, to provide this game-changing capability, is a significant step forward for our company, our stakeholders, and the successful execution of our strategy and business plan.
“We are proud that DART AE will fill an important role, including as a hypersonic test system and platform, collecting critical flight data related to multiple mission applications at hypersonic speeds.”
It is expected the DART AE system will be pitched to the US Department of Defense and other US national security markets.
“This exclusive partnership and Kratos’ potential procurement of up to 20 DART AE systems enables the Kratos/Hypersonix Team to be first-to-market with a relevant capability, in support of US and Australia hypersonic initiatives,” said Kratos Defense and rocket systems division president Dave Carter.
“With Kratos’ Zeus family of solid rocket launch systems, Kratos’ Erinyes and Dark Fury hypersonic flyers, and the DART AE hypersonic vehicle, we can rapidly provide incredible capability to the hypersonic community at an affordable cost.”
