Have Dash

Have Dash was a program conducted by the United States Air Force for the development of a stealthy air-to-air missile. Although the Have Dash II missile appears to have been flight tested, the results of the project remain classified and no production is believed to have been undertaken.

Have Dash
Have Dash II
TypeAir-to-air missile
Place of originUnited States
Service history
Used byUnited States Air Force
Production history
Designed1990–1992
ManufacturerFord Aerospace
Specifications
Mass400 pounds (180 kg)
Length12 feet (3.7 m)
EngineRocketdyne Mk 58 Mod 5
PropellantSolid fuel
Operational
range
30 miles (48 km)
Maximum speed Mach 4+

Have Dash I

Have Dash I was a classified project to develop an air-to-air missile for use by stealth aircraft.[1] The concept, developed by the USAF Armament Laboratory between 1985 and 1988,[2] was extensively studied but failed to produce any flying hardware.[3]

Have Dash II

Have Dash II, initiated in 1990, was a renewed effort to develop a stealthy air-to-air missile, intended to be used by the Advanced Tactical Fighter – the YF-22 and YF-23 – and to replace the AIM-120 AMRAAM in service.[1]

Have Dash II was designed with a composite body, trapezoidal in shape. This was intended both to reduce the missile's radar-cross-section[3] and to resist heat at hypersonic speeds, as the missile was intended to operate at Mach 5.[1] The body shape also allowed flush external carriage aboard the launching aircraft, and provided aerodynamic lift, making the missile more maneuverable.[3]

The prototype Have Dash II missiles were recoverable,[1] and utilised Rocketdyne Mk 58 solid-fueled rocket motors of the same type used by the AIM-7 Sparrow.[3][4] Production missiles were expected to be powered by a ramjet engine,[1] and would use inertial navigation during the cruise phase of flight, with a dual-mode infrared/active radar seeker head for terminal guidance.[3]

Flight testing of the prototype Have Dash II missiles was expected to begin in 1992;[1] it appears that the testing was conducted, with the missile being considered for further testing of advanced air-to-air missile concepts.[2] However, no results of the test firings have been declassified, and the missile's development was not further pursued.[3]

References

Notes
  1. Popular Mechanics, March 1990
  2. "Have Dash II: Development Test and Evaluation of an Advanced Air-To-Air Missile Concept". Society of Experimental Test Pilots Symposium Proceedings, Volumes 36–37, p. 159. (1992)
  3. Parsch 2005
  4. "Have Dash II bank-to-turn technology may be valuable for AMRAAM." Defense Daily, April 21, 1992.

Bibliography
  • Dane, Abe, ed. (March 1990). "Tech Update:Hypersonic Air-To-Air Missile". Popular Mechanics. New York: The Hearst Corporation. 167 (3): 18. ISSN 0032-4558. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
  • Parsch, Andreas (2005). "Loral (Ford Aeronutronics) HAVE DASH II". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. designation-systems.net. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
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