Lockheed Martin has bought the high speed wind tunnel it has leased for years from Triumph Aerostructures for research and development testing. Financial details were not revealed. Location of the wind tunnel - HSWT- is in Grand Prairie, Texas, and is only one of two of its kind in the country, the other other one being located in Missouri.
According to Lockheed Martin, with this procurement it will be able to invest in upgrades and manage scheduling, mainly to include testing by other companies and government agencies. HSWT manager Mike McWithey said, “The High Speed Wind Tunnel in Grand Prairie is an aerospace engineering treasure, serving as a proving ground for hundreds of flight vehicles designed over the last six decades for everything from space exploration to national defense. We made this purchase to ensure that development legacy extends well into the future.”
Lockheed Martin further added that, the HSWT is a subsonic, transonic and supersonic testing facility with adjustable Mach-number wind tunnels. The facility develops products such as the Multiple Launch Rocket System, the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, the Army Tactical Missile System, PAC-3, PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, the A-7 Corsair II and the Space Shuttle. As per company's plans, the upgrades to the HSWT include a new air-compressor system and modernized data-acquisition system and utility systems.
According to Lockheed Martin, with this procurement it will be able to invest in upgrades and manage scheduling, mainly to include testing by other companies and government agencies. HSWT manager Mike McWithey said, “The High Speed Wind Tunnel in Grand Prairie is an aerospace engineering treasure, serving as a proving ground for hundreds of flight vehicles designed over the last six decades for everything from space exploration to national defense. We made this purchase to ensure that development legacy extends well into the future.”
Lockheed Martin further added that, the HSWT is a subsonic, transonic and supersonic testing facility with adjustable Mach-number wind tunnels. The facility develops products such as the Multiple Launch Rocket System, the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, the Army Tactical Missile System, PAC-3, PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, the A-7 Corsair II and the Space Shuttle. As per company's plans, the upgrades to the HSWT include a new air-compressor system and modernized data-acquisition system and utility systems.