GQM-163 (Coyote Sea Skimming target) is a supersonic seaskimming target built by Orbital Sciences and used by the United States Navy as a successor to the MQM-8 Vandal. Orbital's proposal was chosen over the MA-31, a joint venture between Boeing and Zvezda-Strela. Orbital was awarded their contract for the development of the Coyote SSST in June of 2000. The Coyote is initially boosted by a Hercules MK-70 booster, of similar design to those used by the now obsolete RIM-67 Standard ER missiles. After the booster stage is expended the missile switches to an Aerojet MARC-R-282 solid-fueled ducted rocket/ramjet engine for sustaining its flight.[1]
Specifications
| Length = | 5.60 m (18 ft 4.3 in) (without booster), 9.53 m (31 ft 3.3 in) (incl. booster) |
| Diameter = | 35 cm (13.8 in), booster: 46 cm (18 in) |
| Weight = | ? |
| Speed = | mach 2.8 |
| Range = | 110 km (60 nm) |
| Booster = | Hercules MK 70 solid-fueled rocket |
| Sustainer = | Aerojet MARC-R-282 solid-fueled ducted rocket/ramjet |
