EADS N.V. - A world leader through well-targeted technology

With average financial technology support from the Federal Ministry of Defence of less than two million euros per year over the seven years 1996 to 2003, engineers from EADS/LFK have succeeded in achieving a globally acknowledged leading position in the high-tech field of hypersonics. This was confirmed during the Technology Days event organised each year by the EADS/LFK Business Unit of the Defence and Security Systems Division in order to present the results of its Research and Development efforts.

In October 2003, an EADS/LFK hypersonic missile for the first time flew at more than 7 Mach in low-level flight – this equates to a speed of approximately 2.3 kilometres per second. In this way, the missile surpassed the world speed record of 6.6 Mach, which had been set during a similar test in 2002. The successful test took place using the test bed HFK E1 on the test site of the Bundeswehr Technical Centre WTD 91 in Meppen.

"By breaking into speed ranges that had previously not been reached, our engineers have provided impressive proof of our company's technological capabilities. Using the hypersonic test bed, we can investigate a wide range of physical phenomena in the high-speed range that will be of advantage to future applications", comments Werner Kaltenegger, Head of EADS/LFK, on the research work.

Investigations into thermodynamic and aerodynamic phenomena were connected with this speed increase to over Mach 7. In addition, it was possible to identify special effects in the structural mechanics and also test components and samples of materials. At the core of the hypersonic missile is the conically shaped high-performance engine designed by Bayern-Chemie. This delivers about 23 tons of thrust with a missile net weight of approx. 130 kg. At the trials in October 2003, the engine also confirmed its unique capabilities. Within the scope of the technology programme, not only lattice fins were used but also planar fins that had been specially developed for extremely high speeds.

Within the scope of the national research and technology project, four flights in total were carried out using the hypersonic missiles. The last two flights with hypersonic missiles E0 and E1 took place under the responsibility of EADS/LFK.

"From the comparison of the test data available to us we were able to gain significant information for our future work", explains Peter Gleich, who heads the programme at EADS/LFK. “In this way we have consolidated the lead we hold in terms of international know-how."

The topic of hypersonic missiles has increased in importance all over the world. On the basis of the technological findings from the supersonic studies and tests, future high-speed guided missile systems in the fields of anti-aircraft/air defence and ground target engagement are to be developed. In particular the USA and Sweden have recently tasked their national industries with studies.

However, in Germany the financial support from the Federal Ministry of Defence for this high-tech work was terminated in 2004, the reason being that it is not possible to increase the overall tight funding for Research and Technology (R&T) in view of the existing constraints of the defence budget. "This decision cannot remain as it is. It is on research that the future is built. This guarantees the availability of capabilities that tomorrow will be of fundamental significance in security and defence policy", explained Werner Kaltenegger.

The Business Unit EADS/LFK develops and manufactures guided missile systems and is an integrated part of the EADS Defence and Security Systems Division (DS).

With revenues of approx. € 5.2 bn in 2003 and roughly 24,000 employees across nine nations, DS forms the defence pole within EADS. It offers integrated systems solutions to the new challenges confronting armed forces and homeland security units. It is active in the areas of military aircraft, missile systems, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems with manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), battlefield management systems, defence electronics, sensors and avionics, and related services.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2003, the Group generated revenues of € 30 billion and employed a workforce of more than 109,000.