The US Army plans to issue a contract by November for 18-24 months of detailed systems design for the Compact Kinetic Energy Missile, which is to replace TOW as the standard anti-tank missile for ground units, helicopters, and perhaps attack jets as well. The Advanced Technology Demonstration Phase will begin in 2004 and the Engineering and Manufacturing Development in 2006. While the missile has yet to be designed (Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, British Aerospace, and MilTech are working on this), the Army knows what it wants. The CKEM is to be 1.2m long and weigh 22.6kg (50 pounds). It must be able to engage targets between 400m and 5km, with the potential for a later version to engage targets between 200m and 8km. The missile body may be 6 inches (152mm) or 7 inches (179mm) in diameter. The Army wants the missile to fly at Mach-6.5.--Stephen V Cole