Three competitors are vying for a CKEM award: Raytheon Co., Lockheed Martin's missile division in Dallas and a small firm in Huntsville, Ala., Miltech Corp., teamed with the Boeing Co.
Lockheed Martin's CKEM version has a solid rocket motor, said Randy D.
CKEM requires an entirely new design, to make it fly faster and to improve the penetration.
Raytheon's Ignat is optimistic about the CKEM program.
CKEM would have a range of up to 5 km with potential for growth up to 8 kin, said William C.
Snyder, Army program manager for CKEM. He cautioned, however, that "lethal compact-size kinetic energy missiles are not achievable with today's technology."
Industry experts at the conference, who did not want to be quoted by name, agreed that the CKEM goals are overly ambitious.
Developing a compact, low-signature propulsion system is one of the most challenging areas of the CKEM program, said Snyder.