- A ground-based sled track facility has been unveiled at Camp Atterbury in Indiana to simulate high-speed flight conditions
- The testing site is a collaboration between the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division and the Indiana National Guard
- The facility is expected to save the U.S. Navy $1.7 million annually
The U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division announced Tuesday that it has partnered with the Indiana National Guard to open the country’s first ground-based sled track facility, a testing site at Camp Atterbury designed to mimic high-speed flight conditions in extreme environments.
The facility, unveiled August 12, is expected to speed up the development of countermeasure technology, cut testing expenses and improve safety outcomes for pilots and aircrews.
Reserve your seat at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Navy Summit on August 27 for a firsthand look at how the Department of the Navy plans to put its record $377.5 billion FY2027 budget request to work. Hear from Navy keynote speakers including Acting Navy Secretary and Wash100 awardee Hung Cao and Vice Adm. Michael Vernazza, commander of the Naval Information Forces, alongside panelists tackling hybrid fleet growth, unmanned maritime systems and the technologies driving the Golden Fleet vision.
What Are the Features of the Sled Track Testing Site?
The sled track spans 578 feet with a 402-foot opening, built from steel pipe lined with graphite on the interior. It can push test articles to speeds as fast as Mach 1, giving engineers a way to run controlled, repeatable trials under extreme conditions. Sensors and imaging tools built into the system track infrared countermeasure performance as it happens.
The track will support countermeasure testing for the F-35, F/A-18, F-16, MH-60 and C-130, among other aircraft. It’s also expected to speed up lot acceptance testing, allowing for quicker and more uniform evaluations across different countermeasure specifications.
The Navy estimates the facility will save roughly $1.7 million per year by reducing reliance on flight-based testing, while also easing scheduling bottlenecks that come with airborne evaluations. Because countermeasures will undergo more extensive ground testing before reaching manned flight trials, the branch expects aircrew safety to improve as well.
What Did Officials Say About the Sled Track?
According to Gov. Mike Braun, R-Ind., the new facility is evidence of the state’s expanding role in national defense work, noting the collaboration between NSWC Crane and the National Guard at Camp Atterbury reflects a broader push to give service members access to top-tier technology.
Dr. Angela Lewis, technical director at NSWC Crane, said the facility “allows us to rapidly iterate, optimize designs on the ground, and deliver highly mature, reliable countermeasures to our warfighters in a fraction of the time it previously took.”
