Officials of the U.S. Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) have issued a request for information for the Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP) project, which includes the development of prototypes of hypervelocity artillery shells to defend against enemy aircraft, missiles, artillery projectiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
U.S. Army officials are reportedly seeking out a company capable of delivering HVP prototypes — capable of flying through the air at speeds of 8 or 9 times the speed of sound — no later than fall 2027 for operational demonstrations in 2028.
The HVP for air defense applications aims to reduce munition costs and enhance the value of wheeled 155 mm artillery systems firing HVPs. Ideally, the HVP prototypes will communicate with off-board sensors that track the HVP and the threat to be intercepted.
According to the RCCTO, the HVP prototypes must be compatible with the multi-function precision radar (MFPR) and hypervelocity gun weapon system (HGWS), to be delivered under separate projects.
Further, the HVP prototypes should fire from rifled and smooth-bore 155 mm cannons; interface with U.S. Army-provided off-board sensors to intercept incoming threats; interface with a data transmission device to receive pre-launch mission data; maintain projectile maneuverability via interception; keep flight time to a minimum; be powerful enough to shoot down fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters; UAVs; and cruise missiles.
