The Benefits of Functional Ground Testing, A Case Study of the Tomahawk Missile FGT Program

The Tomahawk Functional Ground Test (FGT) Facility at the Naval Surface Warfare Center/Indian Head Division (NSWC/IHD) presents the Tomahawk program with a unique flight test risk reduction capability. The Tomahawk-Missile-in-the-Loop (TMIL) system integrates an actual strapped-down Tomahawk missile with a real time 6 DOF simulation and "flies" the missile through a mission to provide an economical means of obtaining data that could otherwise be only obtained through flight testing. A study of Tomahawk flight test failures shows that 72% of these failures could have been detected through FGT. Current estimates of the cost avoidance to the Tomahawk program resulting from FGT exceeds $100 million. A similar capability could prove useful on other missile programs, helping to reduce flight test risk and overall test costs.

Prepared in collaboration with Anser, Arlington, VA.