The development of the US Army’s Enduring Shield air defense missile launcher has been hit by a one-year delay due to problems with manufacturer Dynetics.
The information was first reported by Breaking Defense, saying the issue could affect the expected fielding date of the system.
The service originally expected to receive the prototypes in 2022, but not a single launcher was handed over, causing the army to postpone key assessment of the system.
Hope is now that the first delivery of Enduring Shield will occur sometime between July and September this year.
“IFPC Inc 2 launcher prototype deliveries are planned for the fourth quarter of FY23 to support government system-level testing,” an army program spokesman told the outlet.
“Delivery challenges are attributed to supply chain issues and will be mitigated by streamlining system level testing.”
About Enduring Shield
Dynetics’ Enduring Shield air defense system is designed to meet the US Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 program needs.
It can fire a range of missiles and engage multiple targets simultaneously.
The “cyber-resilient” system also offers 360-degree protection of military assets.
According to the company, Enduring Shield can be fully integrated with the army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System.
“The Enduring Shield solution leverages Dynetics’ experience with ground-based launcher systems for the Army, including hypersonic missiles and other programs,” Dynetics stated.