Aerospace engineering company Cummings Aerospace recently conducted a flight test of its Hellhound S3 at the Pendleton UAS Range in Oregon. The test supports the Department of War’s goal of asserting U.S. military drone superiority by leveraging 3D printing for faster, more cost-effective production.
During the test, the man-portable loitering munition, equipped with an inert warhead, flew over 30 kilometers and landed with more than 50% of its fuel remaining, suggesting a potential maximum range exceeding 60 kilometers. The system was launched vertically from a canister, transitioned to the target area, and performed extended loitering in tight figure-eight patterns at speeds of around 80 meters per second. All primary test objectives were successfully achieved.
“This test validates Hellhound S3’s persistent loitering capability at extended ranges,” said Sheila Cummings, chief executive officer of Cummings Aerospace. “That range, combined with speed and modularity, makes Hellhound ideally suited for both loitering munition missions and counter-unmanned aircraft system operations against Group 2 and Group 3 threats, such as the Shahed.”
Key Tests in 3D Printing Prove Successful
Beyond Cummings Aerospace, other industry players are also advancing 3D printing for aerospace applications.
In September, Firehawk Aerospace, a manufacturer of advanced energetics systems for defense, successfully completed the first flight test of its AM GMLRS-class Firehawk Analog (GFA), a 3D printed hybrid rocket engine system. This demonstration highlights the company’s capability to produce hybrid propulsion systems additively, as part of its ongoing Phase III SBIR contract with the Army Applications Laboratory (AAL).
Elsewhere, New Frontier Aerospace (NFA), an equity-funded startup specializing in advanced rocket propulsion, successfully completed a series of hot fire tests for its Mjölnir rocket engine. The engine, produced using AM, features a full-flow staged combustion cycle, one of the most efficient designs for liquid rocket propulsion. This makes Mjölnir well-suited for reusable launch systems, hypersonic vehicles, and orbital transfer platforms.
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Image featured shows The Cummings Aerospace Hellhound S3 . Photo via Cummings Aerospace.
