Protected carriage
Provides a controlled physical environment for the interceptor before deployment and launch.
System 04 / 05Protected Launch
Launch
TANKARD
Protect the interceptor. Position the response.
Mission role
A distributed canister built to protect, position, and launch.
Current phase
Inert demonstrator
System intent
Built for its layer. Engineered for the whole mission.
An interceptor only matters if it is protected, positioned, ready, and connected when the mission arrives. TANKARD is the physical launch layer of the architecture: a field-deployable canister designed around protected carriage, integrated avionics, rapid setup, and repeatable system integration.
TANKARD provides a field-deployable launch architecture for protected interceptors. The current inert demonstrator is validating mechanical packaging, avionics integration, deployment, serviceability, and system interfaces.
Public capability profile
The responsibilities that define TANKARD.
Distributed positioning
Supports placement of launch capacity across the defended area instead of concentrating every response at one point.
Integrated avionics
Brings power, communications, controls, and health monitoring into the same launch-system architecture.
Field serviceability
The demonstrator is being used to validate setup, access, maintenance, packaging, and system-level interfaces.
TANKARD / Inert demonstrator
Public system profile
System layerProtected launch + deployment
Mission roleProtect, position, and launch
Primary interfaceCOMPOSITION and THORNWALL
Validation scopeMechanical, avionics, deployment, integration
Release boundary
The public image shows an inert demonstrator. Internal launch, safety, power, communications, and interceptor-interface details are shared only through controlled channels.
The architecture