U.S. Navy BQM-34 Ramjet Tests Supporting an Internal Development Program for Future High-Speed Missiles

A recent ramjet test conducted by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) is building towards future advanced decoy missiles and weapons development according to new documents released by the service.

The Capacity High Altitude Naval Strike Weapon (CHAINSW) program is a NAWCWD R&D effort, specifically a technology demonstration and experimentation effort, that falls in line with NAWCWD’s RDT&E mission, according to U.S. Navy officials.

The U.S. Navy describes the CHAINSW program in FY2026 budgets as “effort to transition and scale technology and lessons learned from previous solid fuel ramjet testbeds into tactically relevant form-factor SFRJ motor for aerial-launched demonstration”, something that could apply to both current and future capabilities and programs of record. The description of CHAINSW was included as part of AGM-88 anti-radiation missile improvements in the FY2026 budget.

NAWCWD’s CHAINSW ramjet development effort passed a major milestone when their developed motors were tested on a BQM-34 Firebee target drone in January. The Firebee launched a solid fuel ramjet demonstrator known as the Solid Fuel Integral Rocket Ramjet (SFIRR), developed as part of the CHAINSW effort. According to NAWCWD, the ramjet was developed and built in less than 12 months from kickoff to flight test.

The test was released to the public in May when the first photos of the ramjet test were published. Follow-up information published in a series of NAWCWD awards in July hint towards additional developments for the CHAINSW ramjet program, including important details for the program’s future.

“Your technical expertise, leadership, and innovation was instrumental in the success of the Capacity High-Altitude Naval Strike Weapon program, where you played a critical role in using the BQM-34 aerial target as an air-launch platform. This effort culminated in the first Solid Fuel Ramjet launch from an aerial target in 70 years. Because of your dedication, innovation, and leadership, you have significantly advanced target systems development, directly supporting the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division’s mission and setting a new standard for future operations.”Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division

The released information was part of a NAWCWD ceremony, specifically the Dr. Twain C. Lockhart Memorial Award which “recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to target systems development”. It was awarded to Todd Douglas, a NAWCWD Test Conductor in the Threat Target Systems Department, Pacific Targets and Marine Operations Division.

The ramjet tests were ultimately successful, but the first test shot experienced multiple in-flight hardware failures. The second test shot achieved all primary and secondary test objectives. According to the U.S. Navy, the program would have been set back as much as one year if the second test had also failed.

The U.S. Navy could not provide any additional information regarding ongoing ramjet programs or the Capacity High Altitude Naval Strike Weapon program.

The solid fuel ramjets being developed and tested by NAWCWD in the CHAINSW program could be working towards a number of different programs known to the public. The Hypersonic Air Launched Offensive (HALO) missile, part of the Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare Increment 2 (OASuW Inc 2) program which was cancelled last year, could receive the end result of the Capacity High Altitude Naval Strike Weapon ramjet program. So could the Advanced Capacity Maritime Effector (ACME) weapon which lists solid-fueled ramjets as a potential propulsion method.

The ACME Future Naval Capability (FNC) effort is looking to develop a mass producible weapon that maximizes internal payload capacity on F-35Cs. The Office of Naval Research Special Program Announcement explicitly mentions investment into new propulsion methods for time sensitive strike, aiming for rapid development. ACME FNC lists goals for an engineering and manufacturing development phase in FY2030 and early operational capability in FY2031.

“Capacity High-Altitude Integrated Naval Strike Weapon is the name of an internal effort to explore and demonstrate possible technical advancements, including solid fuel ramjet technology. There is no specific weapon or program of record being worked toward. It is, rather, a technology demonstration and experimentation effort in line with NAWCWD’s RDT&E mission.”Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division Public Affairs

The U.S. Navy and NAWCWD did not confirm what programs the SFIRR motor could be applied to.