Air-launched Weapons

[buglerbilly]

DATE:13/01/10

SOURCE:Flight InternationalGuided rockets set to arm US A-10s and Harriers

By Stephen Trimble

Precision-guided rockets could be added to the weapons load-out of the US Air Force's Fairchild A-10 and the US Marine Corps' Boeing AV-8B Harrier II strike aircraft under a proposal led by the US Navy.

The USN soon plans to launch a joint concept technology demonstration to add a BAE Systems guided rocket called the advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS II) to both aircraft.

Plans for the demonstration were revealed in a navy acquisition notice posted on 4 January. This says that the service intends to buy 50 guided rockets from the APKWS II programme for use by the AV-8B and A-10.

Both aircraft types are often called on to support ground troops that are in close combat. In such tight spaces, the smallest and most precise weapon with enough lethal power is preferred.

The APKWS II munition, like the unguided Hydra 70mm (2.75in) rocket, is considered a safer alternative to the more powerful Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire or Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles. However, the unguided type tends to be less accurate.

The AV-8B is equipped to carry Hydra rockets, but not the APKWS II design. The demonstration represents the A-10's first experience of using a guided rocket.

It is not clear from the acquisition notice how the A-10 became involved in the USN-led demonstration, but either the US Air Force or Air National Guard must also be participating in the joint concept technology demonstration process.

The APKWS II programme has had a difficult past. The USMC assumed control of the programme after the US Army abandoned the technology. It had also previously terminated its original APKWS contract with a General Dynamics/BAE team.

BAE is shooting the APKWS II in the last series of test firings to support a decision by the USMC to enter low-rate initial production.

The losing bidders from the APKWS II contest are also continuing to develop their respective technologies. Lockheed has developed the direct attack guided rocket, while the United Arab Emirates has funded development of a Raytheon alternative. Alliant Techsystems (ATK) and Elbit Systems have also teamed to offer their guided advanced tactical rocket.

[Tim]

How complicated would integration for this kind of weapon be? In the case of laser guided weaponry, is it the platform mostly a middleman between the designator pod and the weapon, or are there more complex issues in terms of platform software?

Sorry, total newbie when it comes to systems integration.

[buglerbilly]

US Air Force says Lockheed missile "back on track"

Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:34pm EST

By Andrea Shalal-Esa

WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) $6 billion radar-evading JASSM cruise missile is "back on track" after acing 18 of 19 tests since September 2009, the Air Force colonel in charge of the program said on Thursday.

The Air Force on Wednesday awarded Lockheed a $245 million contract to build an eighth lot of 160 more baseline and extended range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff missiles (JASSM) for the Air Force and foreign military customers.

"With the award of the Lot 8 contract, the Air Force has further expressed its confidence that the program is back on track to continue delivering its unique combination of stealth, standoff precision, and flexibility off of both fighters and bombers," Air Force Colonel Stephen Demers told Reuters.

The Air Force last year threatened to cancel JASSM, a long-range missile designed to destroy fixed and moving targets, after years of repeated technical problems if the next round of tests did not show markedly better missile reliability.

The missile succeeded in 15 of 16 tests last August, assuaging those concerns.

The weapon was declared combat-ready five years ago and has been deployed despite several testing failures, but it faced increased scrutiny as Pentagon officials targeted weapons programs with cost overruns and technical problems.

Demers declined comment on the fiscal 2011 budget, which is due to be released on Feb. 1, but said the program now had the support of the Air Force and Pentagon leaders, and he did not anticipate any "future programmatic issues."

Alan Jackson, director of JASSM programs for Lockheed, said Wednesday's contract brought the total number of missiles under contract to 1,200, about one-fourth the total number of missiles the Air Force plans to buy in coming years.

The missile reached a 94 percent reliability rate in the most recent tests, and has an overall reliability rate of well over 80 percent over the history of the program. The Air Force aims to reach a reliability rate of 90 percent by 2013.

Demers said the Air Force would continue testing the reliability of the missiles, although the number of tests could be reduced in coming years.

In his annual report to Congress, the Pentagon's chief weapons tester acknowledged that testing had shown improved reliability, but said more flight tests were needed to characterize the performance of the weapons.

The report, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, also raised questions about the Air Force's decision to halt work on an electronic fuze for the missile, noting that 4 of 26 missiles launched in fiscal year 2009 had fuze issues.

"The Air Force should renew the pursuit of the Electronic Safe and Arm Fuze, ensuring the availability of a second fuzing option," said the report.

Demers said the service had funded an alternate program to upgrade the missile's existing mechanical fuze to a model with fewer moving parts, an effort he said would help the missile achieve the reliability target "even faster."

Officials familiar with the issue, who were not authorized to speak on the record, said upgrading the current mechanical fuze would save millions of dollars in development costs.

While industry had developed an electronic fuze, it would be difficult to use on JASSM, they said, noting that the missile is designed to penetrate many feet of concrete.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)

[buglerbilly]

DATE:03/02/10

SOURCE:Flight InternationalSINGAPORE 2010: Raytheon unveils long-range torpedo for P-8

By Stephen Trimble

Raytheon has revealed plans to challenge Boeing and Lockheed Martin for a US Navy contract to modify a torpedo for high-altitude launch by a P-8 Poseidon.

The Raytheon Fish Hawk programme integrates a wingkit, flight-control surfaces and a guidance system to a Mk 54 or Mk 46 torpedo, says Mark "Smoke" Borup, senior business development manager for Raytheon's advanced missiles and unmanned aircraft systems unit.

The objective of the USN's High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Concept (HAAWC) programme is to allow the P-8 to launch at high altitude. The stand-off distance protects the P-8 from an emerging new class of submarine-launched, anti-aircraft missiles. The concept also would reduce the stress caused by diving to low altitude on the P-8 airframe.

Raytheon's approach with the Fish Hawk is unique among its competitors in a key area, Borup says. Instead of modifying an existing wing-kit for the Fish Hawk, Raytheon developed an all-new design over the last three years, he says. The purpose-built design allows the Fish Hawk to be loaded on each of the P-8's internal and external weapons stations.

The Raytheon design also includes a unique pivot-wing, with a spring-loaded mechanism releasing the wing into position after the torpedo is launched. The Fish Hawk is designed to be launched upside-down and right itself after the wing deploys. A tail guidance section, which includes four fins, is also deployed at the same time as the wing.

Raytheon has performed a single flight test in March 2008 to demonstrate that the technology works, Borup says. Raytheon had planned to perform two flight tests, but the single event achieved all of the desired test results, he adds.

The Fish Hawk uses a global positioning/inertial navigation system to glide to a location in the proximity of the targeted submarine. As the weapon reaches a specific point in space, the wingkit and guidance section is jettisoned. The torpedo drops into the water, using its terminal guidance system to fix the position of the target.

Raytheon has not integrated a datalink on Fish Hawk. However, Borup says, the company is aware that the USN eventually plans to adopt a datalink for such weapons, and has made provisions for the Fish Hawk to accept a datalink.

[buglerbilly]

Marine Aviators Complete Operational Assessment of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System with 8-for-8 Performance

(Source: BAE Systems; issued February 9, 2010)

CHINA LAKE, Calif. --- Aviators from the U.S. Marine Corps have completed their operational assessment of BAE Systems’ Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, scoring eight direct hits in eight shots in the past two weeks. Operational assessment gives Marine aviators the opportunity to “test drive” the system before it is deployed and confirms that the laser-guided 2.75-inch rocket will meet their needs in combat.

APKWS, developed by BAE Systems in partnership with the U.S. government, provides aviators with a highly precise weapon that is effective against soft and lightly armored targets while minimizing collateral damage — important in urban areas and other situations in which non-combatants or friendly forces are near hostile targets.

In a series of shots fired during the weeks of Jan. 11 and 18, Marine AH-1W Cobra helicopters flying a variety of scenarios fired laser-guided APKWS rockets at targets typical of those encountered in theater. Live warheads were fitted to the APKWS guidance section, and in day and night tests, the guided rockets struck their laser-designated targets and detonated on impact.

“The APKWS operational assessment has demonstrated the system’s effectiveness in a variety of scenarios involving various targets, platform speeds, ranges, and tactics,” said Maj. Matt Sale, requirements officer for Marine Corps Aviation Weapons. “The system’s reliability has been proven with its 19-for-19 performance in tests, exceeding requirements and expectations. We are confident that APKWS is the right-size weapon for many of our typical engagements and will be highly effective in allowing Marine aviators to prosecute targets.”

The final step in the APKWS development program is system qualification against the envelope of environments in which it might be employed, transported, and stored. That testing is expected to be finalized in time to allow the Navy to complete a production decision within the next 60 days. From there, the system is expected to enter low-rate initial production.

“Any time I have the opportunity to talk to our men and women in uniform, I hear about the pressing need for the capability afforded by APKWS,” said John Watkins, director of missiles and munitions for BAE Systems in Nashua, New Hampshire. “This weapon will make a real difference in allowing U.S. warfighters to complete their missions and come home safely.”

APKWS provides the military with a low-cost alternative to other air-launched munitions currently in inventory. The system transforms a standard 2.75-inch unguided rocket into a smart, highly precise laser-guided missile. Because it uses standard launchers, APKWS requires no platform integration or aircraft modifications, and because it is loaded and fired like a standard 2.75-inch rocket, it requires little additional aviator or ordnance crew training. The mid-body design of its guidance section enables use of existing warheads, fuzes, and rocket motors, enhancing the capability of existing inventory.

APKWS can be fired from any helicopter that can launch 2.75-inch rockets, including the AH-1 Cobra, UH-1 Huey, OH-58 Kiowa Warrior, and AH-64 Apache. On Jan. 4, the U.S. Navy published its intent to ask BAE Systems to study the use of APKWS on fixed-wing platforms through a joint cooperative technology demonstration program with the U.S. Air Force.

The Navy assumed acquisition executive oversight of the program in 2008 and has fully funded it for production. BAE Systems has been the APKWS prime contractor since 2006.

BAE Systems is a premier global defense, security and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. With approximately 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £18.5 billion (US $34.4 billion) in 2008.
-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Pentagon Eyes More Than $800 Million for New Nuclear Cruise Missile

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

By Elaine M. Grossman

Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Air Force plans to spend more than $800 million to build a new nuclear-armed cruise missile for its bomber aircraft, according to little-noticed details buried inside the Obama administration's fiscal 2011 budget request delivered last month to Capitol Hill (see GSN, Dec. 16, 2009).

A "Follow-on Long-Range Stand-off Vehicle," or LRSO for short, would replace 375 aging AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missiles, expected to retire from the fleet by 2030. The Defense Department has estimated the new effort could cost a total $1.3 billion, Global Security Newswire has learned.

"The current system is experiencing obsolescence of parts [and] components," the Air Force stated in one budget document. "Missile components and support equipment are becoming non-supportable."

The service is closely monitoring "critical components" -- such as the missile's fuse, guidance and electrical power systems -- for age-related malfunctions, according to the text. It calls a service life extension of the Air Launched Cruise Missile "essential" to meeting war-plan requirements.

At the same time, the Air Force is conducting an "analysis of alternatives" aimed at weighing technical options for replacing the AGM-86B, which was first deployed in 1982. The document shows that the Pentagon is expected to make a formal acquisition decision around October 2012 on how to proceed.

The budget documents indicate a service intention to sharply ramp up research-and-development funds for the nuclear-capable weapon between fiscal 2013 and 2015, culminating in an estimated half-billion dollars to be spent on the LRSO effort in fiscal 2015 alone.

For the near term, though, the Air Force is requesting $3.63 million in 2011 to complete the ongoing technical studies on the new cruise missile.

Inclusion of the funds in the White House budget request is sure to rankle lawmakers on the left flank of President Barack Obama's political base, who have supported his commitment to taking "concrete steps" toward the eventual global elimination of nuclear weapons. Obama laid out this vision in a major speech last April in Prague, an event frequently cited as helping him win a Nobel Peace Prize.

On the other side of the aisle, Republicans can be expected to welcome the cruise missile plans as a potential indication of the administration's intent to modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal. The Senate's entire GOP contingent in December told Obama that their support for the president's arms control agenda would rest on his commitment to funding modern replacements or updates for U.S. nuclear weapons (see GSN, Dec. 17, 2009).

Today's Air Launched Cruise Missiles are launched from the B-52 bomber, which is slated to remain in service through 2040. The aircraft can carry six cruise missiles under each of its wings and eight internally on a rotary launcher, giving each B-52 a capacity of 20 missiles.

The cruise missile flies roughly 550 mph and has a range of more than 1,500 miles, allowing the bomber to stand off at a safe distance from its target.

Though a future LRSO weapon's capabilities have not yet been publicly defined, a new cruise missile might be expected to ride aboard either a B-52 bomber or a future Long-Range Strike aircraft, which could be manned or unmanned (see GSN, Dec. 18, 2009).

Whether the future bomber itself proceeds -- and on what time line -- is uncertain. It is also not known yet if a new aircraft would be nuclear-weapon capable, like today's B-52 and B-2 planes, or instead be limited to conventional missions, like today's B-1 bomber.

The Defense Department is expected to announce its plans for a future Long-Range Strike aircraft as part of a major Nuclear Posture Review. The congressionally directed review of atomic forces, strategy and readiness has been repeatedly delayed but is anticipated for release in the coming weeks (see GSN, March 1).

Air Force budget documents for the first time include a funding line item for development of the new bomber. Budget dollars for the aircraft rise on a schedule roughly parallel to the proposed new cruise missile. The service expects to fund the new bomber at nearly $200 million in fiscal 2011, with program expenditures totaling $1.74 billion through 2015.

The service has not revealed exactly how it would use these large sums over that period or when bomber production would begin. Nor has the Air Force officially divulged a total program cost estimate for the proposed new bomber or an LRSO cruise missile.

The documents submitted to Congress on Feb. 1 state that Air Force studies on how to maintain the Air Launched Cruise Missile "identified system components that cannot be sustained beyond the initial missile service life," but that date has long since passed.

When the missile first entered the fleet in 1982, its service life was expected to be 10 years, according to a Pentagon official's response to written questions from Global Security Newswire. In 1998 -- six years after that anticipated retirement date -- the Air Force began a "service life extension program."

Current expectations are that "the Air Launched Cruise Missile will be retained through FY-20 with an option through FY-30," the official said in an e-mailed response, released on condition of anonymity. "Presently, ALCM is mission-ready and sustainable through 2030."

At the same time, the Defense Department appears to be leaving open the possibility that some of the first cruise missiles to enter the force might encounter age-related malfunctions prior to 2030.

"The ALCMs will age out as limited life components fail," the Pentagon official stated, without offering specifics. "Additional future investment and [service life extension program] actions would determine the actual time frame for obsolescence."

To keep the bomber leg of the nuclear triad useful and viable in the years to come, the Air Launched Cruise Missile must be replaced with a new weapon that offers similar stand-off launch capability, according to Christopher Ford, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

"You don't want to fly B-52s over anything but tribal militias these days. That's a good way to lose B-52s," he said in an interview last week, suggesting the bombers are increasingly vulnerable to advanced surface-to-air missile technologies. "Hence we need a stand-off capability."

In fact, without a nuclear cruise missile, the utility of the bomber leg of the triad could significantly decline and eventually disappear, according to some issue experts. Lacking an ALCM replacement, the Pentagon could ultimately convert all its bombers to solely conventional use, leaving the nation with a "dyad" of submarine-launched ballistic missiles and ICBMs, insiders say.

Ford commended the Obama team for taking steps to ensure that key facets of the nuclear arsenal remain viable into the long term, even if that means alienating liberals in the White House's political base.

"This would be an interesting wrinkle that the Obama administration is at least contemplating modernizing nuclear delivery systems," Ford said. "The United States has been the only major world power not modernizing its delivery systems."

Others argue there is no urgent need for Washington to modernize its nuclear delivery platforms because they remain quite capable today and could continue functioning reliably for years to come.

"I think the president has quite clearly said no new nuclear weapons," said Hans Kristensen, who has closely tracked annual funding for a cruise missile replacement. Though liberal and conservative pundits alike tend to focus on whether and how nuclear warheads are modernized, "a nuclear warhead won't have much effect without a delivery platform," he said.

Kristensen, director of the Federation of American Scientists' Nuclear Information Project, said that even if the Nuclear Posture Review envisions a continued role for a nuclear-armed bomber for the time being, funding the future cruise missile would seem to "fly in the face of the president's pledge."

"Who are we kidding?" he said in an interview last week. "We're telling the world we're not going to produce new nuclear weapons, and in the first budget of the administration there is a new nuclear weapon."

In fact, the Pentagon official also would not rule out the possibility that a replacement cruise missile could carry a warhead other than the W-80, which is fitted on today's Air Launched Cruise Missile and on the Navy's Tomahawk Sea-Launched Cruise Missile. The latter weapon system is widely expected to retire soon from the U.S. arsenal (see GSN, Feb. 22).

The Air Force suspended an effort to extend the service life of the W-80 warhead in fiscal 2006, deferring work to what the Bush administration at that time anticipated would be a multiservice Reliable Replacement Warhead. The pause in the W-80 overhaul also allowed the nuclear complex to initiate a life-extension effort on another warhead, the Navy's W-76 weapon, the Pentagon official said.

Though Congress ultimately eliminated the RRW effort -- citing concerns that the new warhead could undermine Washington's nonproliferation objectives -- work to refurbish the W-80 has not resumed, according to the Defense Department.

The service has "archived" its previously conducted study of W-80 life-extension options, pending a "possible late FY-11 restart decision," according to the Pentagon official.

"While the W-80 is an obvious candidate" for use in a weapon that replaces the Air Launched Cruise Missile, "the LRSO study will help inform that decision," the official said.

Should the W-80 remain in the U.S. arsenal, it is likely to require another major life extension beginning in the 2030 time frame -- just as the last Air Launched Cruise Missiles retire -- according to a 2008 planning document compiled by the Energy Department's National Nuclear Security Administration.

That document, obtained by GSN, shows initial studies beginning late in fiscal 2029 and overhaul work on the nuclear explosive package and firing set commencing in 2036.

[McDethWivFries]

It is also not known yet if a new aircraft would be nuclear-weapon capable, like today's B-52 and B-2 planes, or instead be limited to conventional missions, like today's B-1 bomber.

i thought the B-1 was a nuke capable bomber?

[buglerbilly]

Mach 6 Cruise Missile, Ready for Prime Time?

By Nathan Hodge March 10, 2010 | 10:20 am

This spring, the Air Force was preparing for a groundbreaking test of the X-51 WaveRider, a hypersonic cruise missile that would reach speeds of up to Mach 6. But it looks like the WaveRider’s debut flight will have to wait while some technical issues are addressed.

Boeing spokeswoman Christina Kelly confirmed to Danger Room that the test would have to be rescheduled. “We don’t have a firm date,” she said. “It’s going to happen, but it’s just going move to the right.”

The X-51 program is a collaboration between Boeing Phantom Works and engine maker Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne to develop a new class of cruise missile that can reach targets much, much faster than current designs. As this Air Force video explains, the X-51 employs scramjet propulsion: It collects air from the atmosphere to mix and burn with its fuel, but unlike a jet, it doesn’t rely on a turbine to do the compression work.

Hypersonic flight was once considered too extreme for an air-breathing vehicle to handle in a controlled way. But as Danger Room’s Noah Schachtman explained in Popular Mechanics a few years back, the X-51’s unique shape uses the shockwaves created by hypersonic flight to create lift, and compress the air to mix with its fuel.

If the concept works, It fits neatly with the military’s “prompt global strike” concept. The idea is to develop a new class of conventional weapon that can reach distant targets — say, a weapon of mass destruction, or an enemy command post — and hit it in a hurry. But a conventionally armed ICBM or submarine-launched ballistic missile might not be the ideal solution: You don’t want your global strike mission to be mistaken for a nuclear attack.

Testing the X-51 is a fairly complex thing. First, a B-52 has to carry the WaveRider up to 50,000 feet, and then drop it away. A solid rocket booster will then accelerate the aircraft to about Mach 4.5. After the booster drops, the scramjet is supposed to ignite, taking the WaveRider up to Mach 6.

Lt. Col. Todd Venema, director of the Hypersonic Combined Test Force, said in this Air Force news item that the flight test would push the altitude limit for the B-52. And tracking the flight will also require some orchestration. “Telemetry has to be relayed to the Naval Air Station at Pt. Magu to a control room with about 35 people, all watching the various telemetry,” he said. “So there will be a lot of team work aspects to the whole project.”

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/03/mach-6-cruise-missile-ready-for-prime-time/#more-23119#ixzz0hpvbJY5C

[Deks]

i thought the B-1 was a nuke capable bomber?

It was, but if I remember right they were deactivated as part of the START treaty.

[Gubler, A.]

Report: U.S. positioning 'bunker-busters' for possible Iran strike

By Haaretz Service

Last update - 09:10 17/03/2010

The United States is transporting 387 "bunker-buster" bombs to its air base on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean as part of preparations for a possible strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, according to a report in Scotland's Sunday Herald.

The U.S. government signed a contract in January with Superior Maritime Services to transport 10 ammunition containers to Diego Garcia from Concord, California. The shipment includes 195 smart, guided Blu-110 bombs and 192 Blu-117 2,000lb bombs.

Both types of bombs could be used against reinforced or underground facilities.

Neither the United States nor Israel have ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to resolve the long-running row over Iran's disputed nuclear ambitions.

Contract details for the shipment were posted on an international tenders' website by the U.S. Navy.

"They are gearing up totally for the destruction of Iran," Dan Plesch, director of the Center for International Studies and Diplomacy at the University of London, told the Herald. "U.S. bombers are ready today to destroy 10,000 targets in Iran in a few hours."

Plesch is the co-author of a recent study on U.S. preparations for an attack on Iran.

The final decision on whether to launch an attack would be in the hands of U.S. President Barack Obama. Obama may decide it would be better for the U.S. to strike instead of Israel, Plesch said.

"The U.S. is not publicizing the scale of these preparations to deter Iran, tending to make confrontation more likely," he added. "The U.S....is using its forces as part of an overall strategy of shaping Iran's actions."

Diego Garcia is a British territory about 1,000 miles south of India and Sri Lanka. It is used as a U.S. military base as part of an agreement reached in 1971.

In the past, the British Defense Ministry has said that the U.S. would need permission to use Diego Garcia for offensive action. It has already been used in operations against Iraq during the 1991 and 2003 Gulf wars.

The U.S. Department of Defense did not respond to a request for a comment from the Sunday Herald

[buglerbilly]

U.S. Targets Precision Arms for 21st-Century Wars

Seeks Capability To Strike Targets From Safe Range

By JOHN REED

Published: 22 March 2010

As the U.S. military focuses on fighting in a world where it can no longer count on unfettered access to the airspace over hostile territories, the Pentagon is looking at developing a new generation of precision weapons that can penetrate 21st-century air defenses and hit targets from thousands of miles away.

"In the future, U.S. forces conducting power-projection operations abroad will face myriad challenges," reads the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). It goes on to say that potential enemies like Iran and North Korea are acquiring a broad range of weapons and sensors aimed at impeding the deployment of U.S. forces to the theater and blunting the operations of those forces that deploy forward.

In such an environment, the United States won't be able to position jets at forward bases or fly from aircraft carriers sailing near enemy coastlines to launch airstrikes.

Even if U.S. jets can operate from bases or carriers near an enemy, next-generation air defense systems that are being sold around the world mean that only the most advanced jets will be capable of surviving over enemy territory in the future.

To counter these new air defenses, the Pentagon wants to build a host of precision weapons that can hit any target from thousands of miles away. Known as a family of systems, these weapons could include whatever the Air Force chooses as its next bomber, a new set of cruise missiles and even, someday, hypersonic weapons developed under the Pentagon's Prompt Global Strike program that would give the speed and range of an ICBM to a conventional warhead.

"Enhanced long-range strike capabilities are one means of countering growing threats to forward-deployed forces and bases and ensuring U.S. power projection capabilities," the 2011 QDR says. "The Secretary of Defense has ordered a follow-on study to determine what combination of joint persistent surveillance, electronic warfare and precision-attack capabilities, including both penetrating platforms and stand-off weapons, will best support" U.S. power projection until 2040.

Expanding on the themes of the QDR, the U.S. Air Force has begun to develop what Maj. Gen. Charles Davis, director of the service's Air Armaments Center (AAC) at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., describes as a "long-term munitions road map" aimed at developing weapons capable of overcoming 21st-century challenges.

The AAC develops airborne munitions for the Air Force and Navy.

"We have a whole lot of folks at the lab that are asking us to look at the next-generation missile, the next-generation long-range strike, to look at the next generation of hardened target penetrators," Davis said.

While the service has no concrete designs for the new generation of munitions, it is exploring various concepts based on the theme of range, loiter time and ability to be retargeted in flight, Davis said.

The Pentagon must also come up with an efficient way to punch through massive amounts of earth and concrete, since more nations are burying their most sensitive facilities hundreds of feet underground.

"We're definitely going to have to find a way to penetrate very deep, complex targets, but we're going to have to figure out a way to do it with less than 30,000 pounds of brute force," Davis said, referring to the 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the U.S.'s current effort to develop a penetrating weapon.

"We clearly have to find a way to do that with smaller, more flexible weapons," he added. To do this, Davis imagines that the air service will begin looking at ways to boost the speed or improve the shape of future penetrating weapons.

End of the Line for AMRAAM

After that, the United States must start looking at what will replace the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which has dominated air-to-air combat for the last two decades.

"It's clear that we've rung about all we can out of the warhead and the seeker and the motor on the AMRAAM, so we've got to look at what's the new generation of motors and warheads and seekers," Davis said.

"We've clearly got to get better range; we've got to get more powerful warheads, and the seeker will be a mix" of multimode tracking devices similar to prototype versions of the Small Diameter Bomb II's combination of infrared, laser and radar seekers.

This is going to be true for both future air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. However, doing this in an affordable manner will be critical. This leads Davis to predict that future missiles will be rolled out in spirals.

"All that will be decided when the services take whatever concepts come up in their analysis of alternatives and basically decide what becomes a program," he added.

"There will probably be a lot less programs, but they'll probably be some very new and exciting technologies in three or four new areas; penetration, long-range strike, hard and deeply buried targets, and close controlled strike ... It's net-enabled weapons, it's multimode seekers with a variety of flexible effects - that'll be a theme for all those areas."

This upgrade in the U.S. missile portfolio will likely result in a technological advancement in the realm of air warfare akin to the advent of fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the general said.

Before all of this can happen, however, the Pentagon must decide what its future long-range strike portfolio will look like, as mandated by the QDR, said Teal Group missile analyst Steve Zaloga.

"This really comes down to perhaps a radical new think about what the nation needs for its long-term requirements post-Cold War, post-Apocalyptic visions of nuclear war," Zaloga said. "It's going to force a lot of new thinking, so the solutions will probably be very, very different."

This process will involve the Pentagon figuring out "what does the president need to carry out national policy. Then, once you define what that requirement is, tailoring the technology to meet that requirement. That's going to be hard."

Zaloga compared the current status of long-range strike munitions to the late 1940s when such technology was just emerging and missions for it had yet to be fully fleshed out.

"I wouldn't say we're back to square one because the technology is mature," he said. "I think the big issue here is the new missions, not developing new technology."

Part of this debate will involve how the U.S. Air Force and Navy will each participate in the "family of [long-range and penetrating strike] systems" being hashed out by the Pentagon, according to Zaloga.

The Air Force may require some sort of stealthy air launched cruise missile - resembling a beefed up version of its Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile - launched from a bomber and capable of penetrating heavily defended enemy airspace and striking targets with precision, Zaloga said.

Meanwhile, the Navy may require what Zaloga describes as a hypersonic version of a sea-launched Tomahawk cruise missile that is capable of quickly striking terrorists from ships that are floating thousands of miles away.

It all depends on what types of targets the services want to hit and how they want to carry the weapons, added Zaloga. ■

E-mail: jreed@defensenews.com.

[buglerbilly]

JSOW C-1 variant successfully tested

A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet completed the first captive carriage test of the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1 variant at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., March 4.

This variant of the combat-proven JSOW provides upgraded capability to strike moving maritime targets. The weapon’s data link allows the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft to relay targeting information to the weapon.

Captive carriage testing is executed to ensure the C-1 maturity is sufficient to support more extensive testing to ensure warfighter requirements are met.

“The JSOW team has reached a critical milestone in the C-1 program,” said Capt. Carl Chebi, Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201) program manager. “The team is on target and moving toward the full system captive carriage test in spring and the first free flight event later this year.”

According to a report, the weapon was able to enter the Link-16 network – a secure military tactical data exchange – to receive network-enabled messages. Operators use Link-16, which encrypts words to coordinate communications, to search for potential hostiles. From ground to air, forces are able to exchange secure tactical data, be it picture, text or voice, in near-real time.

“The team planned and executed this event to test the JSOW C-1’s Link-16 network interoperability,” said Cmdr. Douglas Phelan, JSOW integrated product team lead. “All major and primary objectives of this test were met.”

JSOW C-1 is an all-weather, day or night, launch-and-leave, network-enabled weapon that employs a Global Positioning System/inertial navigation system. The weapon uses an infrared seeker for terminal guidance.

The JSOW team will continue testing the C-1 variant with additional captive carriage and free flights later this year.

PMA-201 is responsible for the research, development and acquisition of the Fleet’s air-to-ground precision guided weapons, general-purpose bombs and aircraft armament-related equipment.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:01/04/10

SOURCE:Flight International

MBDA: more nations to order Meteor this year

By Craig Hoyle

MBDA expects more partner nations in its UK-led Meteor programme to sign their first production orders this year for the beyond visual-range air-to-air missile, and has identified Spain as a lead candidate.

Company chief executive Antoine Bouvier says all certification activities on the Meteor weapon will be completed by 2012, with production deliveries to start the following year. So far, only the UK has placed a firm order for the design, which will arm its Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft in operational use from around 2015.


© Eurofighter

Eurofighter and Meteor partner nations Germany, Italy and Spain have yet to follow the UK's commitment, along with France and Sweden, who will field the missile with their respective Dassault Rafale and Saab Gripen fighters.

This year "will be an important year for MBDA to secure production orders from other Meteor partners", says Bouvier. "There is a high level of maturity in the Spanish decision process," he comments, but declines to say which other nations could follow Madrid in ordering the system.

[buglerbilly]

JAGM Effort Likely To Feature Cost-Plus and Fixed-Price Contracts

By KATE BRANNEN

Published: 1 Apr 2010 18:37

The U.S. Army expects to award a cost-plus contract for the engineering phase of the multibillion-dollar Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) program, and a fixed-price contract for the low-rate initial production phase, according to a draft request for proposals released March 31.

Army Aviation and Missile Command released the draft request for the program's engineering, manufacturing and development and low-rate initial production phases.

The draft request does not indicate the evaluation criteria the Army will use to select the winning team. Therefore, contractors will have to wait a little longer before they know how the service will weigh various factors, including this summer's three planned test shots.

Companies have 45 days to respond to this request and the government will issue a final request for proposals on or before July 3, the draft says. A preliminary design review for the system is scheduled for June; subsystem design reviews are already taking place. The engineering, manufacturing and development phase is planned to start in January 2011.

While the draft indicates the types of contracts planned, it is clear these are just expected contract types that could change before the final request for proposals is released this summer, said Frank St. John, director of tactical missiles at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. The company is competing for the program, along with a team from Raytheon and Boeing.

The JAGM is to replace Hellfire, Maverick and air-launched TOW missiles. The program is led by the Army but also includes the Navy and Marine Corps.

The new missile will be carried by rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft, including the Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Army's AH-64D Apache helicopter, the Marine Corps' AH-1Z Super Cobra attack helicopter, the Navy's MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and the Army's Extended Range Multi Purpose unmanned aircraft system. The services also aim to integrate the missile on the Air Force's F-35 and other aircraft.

[buglerbilly]

Lockheed Martin, Aerojet Achieve Joint Air-To-Ground Missile (JAGM) Rocket Motor Breakthrough

(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued April 6, 2010)

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Lockheed Martin and Aerojet, a GenCorp company and teammate on the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) program, achieved a technological breakthrough by successfully completing full temperature range testing and validation to support a single rocket motor solution for all JAGM fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms. The final completed tests were a series of cold temperature missile motor firings conducted in Camden, AR.

The rocket motor was manufactured to a tactical configuration using a composite motor case and conditioned to -65 degrees F, replicating the highly stressful thermal requirements of a fixed-wing launch at altitude. Building upon a series of previous developmental static motor tests at various temperatures, including a prior successful test at -65 degrees F in a heavywall motor case, this test further validates that the Aerojet rocket motor offers a single-motor solution for JAGM's challenging fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned aerial vehicle requirements.

"Given the positive results of this rocket motor test and previous tests, we are confident we can deliver a single missile motor offering for the JAGM program as specified in the Statement of Work," said Hady Mourad, JAGM program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Our motor has been optimized for employment off fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned aerial vehicles, and it meets or exceeds every key performance parameter including maximum and minimum ranges, minimum-smoke propellant and, as just demonstrated, the hot and cold temperature parameters."

"The JAGM launch environment provides an extremely challenging set of requirements for the rocket motor, using a minimum-smoke propellant over a very large temperature range while also providing the necessary high turn-down ratio (boost to sustain) to power the launch and sustain flight to maximum ranges," said Aerojet's vice president for Tactical Programs, John Myers. "Aerojet is pleased to be able to successfully demonstrate these capabilities in support of Lockheed Martin's single-motor JAGM solution. We look forward to delivering rocket motors for their upcoming flight tests and ultimately to getting this vital new capability into the hands of our nation's warfighters as soon as possible."

Developed along with partners Roxel, General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, and Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Company, Aerojet's advanced boost-sustain motor supports the Lockheed Martin JAGM team effort as part of the competitive Technology Demonstration phase of the program.

The JAGM TD program is being conducted by the U.S. Army's Joint Attack Munition Systems Project Office in Huntsville, AL, to replace the currently fielded HELLFIRE, Longbow, Airborne TOW and Maverick missiles for the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps. JAGM provides the next-generation air-to-ground missile for employment from the services' rotary-wing, fixed-wing and unmanned platforms.

Threshold aviation platforms include the U.S. Army's AH-64D Apache attack helicopter, the Army's Extended Range Multi-Purpose (ERMP) Sky Warrior unmanned aerial system, the U.S. Marine Corps' AH-1Z Super Cobra attack helicopter, and the U.S. Navy's MH-60R Seahawk armed reconnaissance helicopter and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet jet fighter. Numerous Objective platforms are also in consideration, including the tri-service Joint Strike Fighter program. The initial operational capability of JAGM on the AH-64D, AH-1Z and F/A-18E/F is scheduled for 2016, and the IOC for the MH-60R and ERMP is 2017.

Aerojet is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader principally serving the missile and space propulsion, defense and armaments markets. GenCorp is a leading technology-based manufacturer of aerospace and defense products and systems with a real estate segment that includes activities related to the entitlement, sale, and leasing of the company's excess real estate assets.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Enhanced APKWS Rockets Enter Production, to arm Marine Corps Gunships

APKWS, the lightweight 2.75" laser guided rocket developed by BAE Systems in partnership with the U.S. government, has been approved for production. The U.S. Marine Corps will initially deploy APKWS from AH-1W Cobra helicopters. APKWS also has been successfully demonstrated from a U.S. Army OH-58 Kiowa Warrior. APKWS is the Program of Record established by the U.S. Government to meet war fighter requirements for a laser-guided 2.75" rocket. The Navy assumed acquisition executive oversight of the program in 2008 and has fully funded it for production.

Prior to being declared production-ready, the weapon underwent a rigorous series of flight, component, and all-up-round qualification tests. The flight tests, which culminated in a perfect 8-for-8 score in a series designed and conducted by Marine test pilots, demonstrated that the system's accuracy exceeds government requirements. Throughout its eight-year history of flight tests, APKWS has hit an average distance from the center of the laser spot of less than 0.75 meters against a government specification of 2 meters.

In a series of shots fired during the weeks of Jan. 11 and 18, Marine AH-1W Cobra helicopters flying a variety of scenarios fired laser-guided APKWS rockets at targets typical of those encountered in theater. Live warheads were fitted to the APKWS guidance section, and in day and night tests, the guided rockets struck their laser-designated targets and detonated on impact.

"The APKWS operational assessment has demonstrated the system's effectiveness in a variety of scenarios involving various targets, platform speeds, ranges, and tactics," said Maj. Matt Sale, requirements officer for Marine Corps Aviation Weapons. "The system's reliability has been proven with its 19-for-19 performance in tests, exceeding requirements and expectations. We are confident that APKWS is the right-size weapon for many of our typical engagements and will be highly effective in allowing Marine aviators to prosecute targets."

The weapon system, which transforms standard 2.75-inch unguided rockets to smart, highly precise laser-guided missiles, "is a game-changer for our nation's war fighters," said Mike Lewis, vice president and general manager of soldier and vehicle solutions at BAE Systems. "Its demonstrated precision and small warhead mean aviators can prosecute very specific targets from a greater distance without incurring collateral damage. The technology's low weight compared to other precision-guided munitions is critical to mission success on helicopters operating in high-altitude environments."

APKWS is a low-cost alternative to other air-launched munitions currently in inventory. Because it uses standard launchers, APKWS requires no platform integration or aircraft modifications, and because it is loaded and fired like a standard 2.75-inch rocket, it requires little additional aviator or ordnance crew training. The mid-body design of its guidance section enables use of existing warheads, fuses, and rocket motors, enhancing the capability of the existing 100,000-unit inventory of unguided rockets.

© Copyright 2010 - Defense Update, Lance & Shield Ltd.

[Deks]

The mid-body design of its guidance section enables use of existing warheads, fuses, and rocket motors, enhancing the capability of the existing 100,000-unit inventory of unguided rockets.

Didn't know that, that has to be a pretty big selling point :)

[buglerbilly]

Raytheon-Boeing Team Validates Joint Air-to-Ground Missile Seeker During Captive Flight Tests

(Source: Raytheon Co.; issued April 15, 2010)

TUCSON, Ariz. --- Raytheon Company and The Boeing Company completed a second series of captive flight tests for the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile competition.

"This test proved that all modes of the Raytheon-designed seeker work properly, and that the JAGM seeker can transfer back and forth between the two hardest modes – imaging infrared and millimeter wave," said Bob Francois, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems product line. "With the latest tests under our belt, we are well on the way to conducting seeker tests in a countermeasure-intensive environment."

JAGM will replace three legacy missiles currently in the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps inventory. The Raytheon-Boeing team's JAGM features a Boeing body, a Boeing warhead and a Raytheon tri-mode seeker. The tri-mode seeker leverages technology used on Raytheon's GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II. The tri-mode seeker enables JAGM to attack a variety of fixed and moving targets in all weather conditions.

"Raytheon's expertise in advanced guidance-seeker technology combined with Boeing's proficiency in integrating weapons on platforms like the AH-64D Apache Longbow make our JAGM the best choice for the warfighter," said Carl Avila, Boeing's director of Advanced Weapons and Missile Systems. "By leveraging proven components from both companies, the Raytheon-Boeing team will be able to provide the warfighter a reliable, best-value solution."

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Raytheon-Boeing Team Fires First Joint Air-to-Ground Missile

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M., April 20, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) fired the first Joint Air-to-Ground Missile during a test funded by the two companies.


CAPTION: The first Raytheon-Boeing Joint Air-to-Ground Missile is fired during a company-funded test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The Raytheon-Boeing JAGM uses existing technologies to provide the warfighter a cost-effective, low-risk solution for destroying a wide range of stationary and moving targets in all weather conditions. (PRNewsFoto/Raytheon Company)
LOCATION: WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, NM, UNITED STATES
POST DATE: Apr/20/2010 8:59 AM
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100420/NE88948 )

The weapon, fired from a ground-based rotary-wing launcher, performed a series of preprogrammed maneuvers and flew to a predesignated location, validating the flight control software and Brimstone airframe. The mission met all primary test objectives.

"The Raytheon-Boeing JAGM is on track to demonstrate our low-risk entry into the engineering manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the program," said Bob Francois, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems. "The missile uses existing technologies to provide the warfighter a cost-effective, low-risk and highly capable solution for destroying a wide range of stationary and moving targets in all weather conditions."

The Raytheon-Boeing JAGM features proven components from other Raytheon and Boeing programs including the Raytheon GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II and Boeing Brimstone.

"We had a successful flight of the control test vehicle and anticipate achieving additional milestones with a successful series of guided test vehicle missile firings as a culmination of our technology demonstration phase," said Carl Avila, director of Boeing Advanced Weapons and Missile Systems. "Our system-solution approach to the JAGM program will carry forward into EMD, setting the stage for success. Boeing's extensive experience integrating weapons on the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and AH-64D Apache Longbow combined with Raytheon's proficiency in seeker design and integration make our JAGM the lowest-risk and lowest total-cost solution."

[buglerbilly]

USAF Eyes Low-Yield Munitions

Apr 23, 2010



By Amy Butler

U.S. Air Force officials are eyeing another low-yield weapon in their strategy to field a family of munitions with limited collateral damage potential.

They are using a composite case for the 500-lb. MK 82 bomb with the goal of reducing the weapon’s blast fragmentation effects and shifting to an overpressure kill mechanism, says Col. Mike Fantini, Air Force headquarters division chief for combat force application requirements. The MK 82 can be coupled with a Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition kit to form a precision-guided weapon.

Navy officials fielded a 500-lb. Low Collateral Damage Bomb in 2007 by using a concrete fill to limit blast effects.

The casing for the new Air Force weapon will be modeled after that used for the 250-lb. Small Diameter Bomb Focused Lethality Munition (FLM) variant, Fantini says. FLM combines a composite casing with a high-density fill to reduce the blast radius. The goal of FLM is to kill occupants of a crudely made structure without destroying the structure. The Air Force has purchased 250 FLMs.

Fantini says the Air Force views a 500-lb., low-collateral damage weapon as a step toward acquiring a family of selected effects weapons.

Eventually, service officials are hoping to field a weapon with variable yields that can be selected prior to engagement. However, a program has not yet been formed to achieve that goal.

Photo: US Navy

[The image they've used is mis-leading! It's actually a SPIKE missile test!!!]

[buglerbilly]

Boeing Expands SDB I Weapon's Capability with Block 09 Software

(Source: Boeing Co.; issued April 22, 2010)

ST. LOUIS --- The Boeing Company has begun fielding Block 09 software for the Small Diameter Bomb Increment I (SDB I) that adds to the weapon system's capability and updates its concept of operations.

"In response to the changing battlefield environment, Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have worked together to expand SDB I's mission capability from a long-range standoff weapon into a weapon that also minimizes flight time to target -- ideal for close air support," said Dan Jaspering, Boeing program director for Direct Attack Weapons.

The software upgrade is designed to minimize flight time so that the weapon reaches the target faster while maintaining accuracy and low collateral damage. The upgrade does not require any physical changes to the weapon or the carriage. Both fielded weapons and new productions of SDB I and its Focus Lethality Munition (FLM) variant will receive the upgrade.

SDB I is a 250-pound class, low-cost and low-collateral-damage precision strike weapon. It incorporates a steel case and penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead. The weapon's smaller size, coupled with its four-place carriage, enables more weapons to be carried on each aircraft to improve mission effectiveness and reduce the number of sorties required per mission. The FLM variant provides even lower collateral damage effects with the use of a composite case warhead.

Since 2003, Boeing has delivered more than 5,000 SDB I weapons to the Air Force, all on schedule and on cost. Deliveries are on contract through 2012.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Raytheon-Boeing Team Demonstrates JAGM Can Be Employed From Super Hornet

TUCSON, Ariz., May 5, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) completed wind tunnel testing of the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile. The test proved the team's JAGM can be flown and employed from the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet's outboard wing station.

"The warfighter can place a full Raytheon-Boeing JAGM missile load on the outer wing stations, enabling the system to safely exceed the objective load-out requirement on the Super Hornet," said Bob Francois, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems.

The Raytheon-Boeing offering features a Boeing body and warhead combined with a Raytheon tri-mode seeker. The tri-mode seeker, which leverages the same technology used on the Raytheon GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II, enables the weapon to attack a variety of fixed and moving targets in all weather conditions.

"Boeing has a long history of integrating weapons on platforms like the Super Hornet and the AH-64D Apache helicopter," said Carl Avila, Boeing director of Advanced Weapons and Missile Systems. "Combining that with Raytheon's seeker expertise makes our JAGM the lowest-risk and most cost-effective solution."

[buglerbilly]

Su-30MKI To Get Indian Nirbhay Cruise Missile

May 7, 2010



By Douglas Barrie, Neelam Mathews
London, New Delhi


India intends to integrate a variant of its Nirbhay long-range cruise missile on the Suhkoi Su-30MKI Flanker strike aircraft, following the weapon’s initial development in the ground-launch configuration.

The addition of the Nirbhay to the Flanker’s weapons inventory would give the platform a long-range—and potentially strategic—strike capability. While details on the Nirbhay program remain scant, Indian officials have suggested the weapon will have a range of 800-1,000 km. (500-620 mi.).

An air-launched derivative of the Nirbhay would be a candidate platform for the air force element of India’s strategic nuclear triad ambitions. Packaging of a warhead in the constrained space of a cruise-missile body is a key technical challenge. The current Indian air force nuclear weapon capability consists almost certainly only of free-fall weapons.

The Nirbhay project is being led by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization’s (DRDO) Hyderabad-based Advanced Systems Laboratory.

The overall design and aerodynamic study work has been completed, as has the design of the propulsion system. There are suggestions that a mock-up of the design could be displayed at the AeroIndia show in 2011. A transporter erector launch vehicle is already being developed for the ground-launched version of the cruise missile by the DRDO’s Pune-based Research and Development Establishment (Engineering).

The acquisition of a 1,000-km.-class cruise missile is part of New Delhi’s strategy to match and surpass systems being developed by Islamabad. Pakistan is working on a ground-launched cruise missile called the Babur, likely with substantial Chinese help, and is probably receiving support from South Africa in developing the Ra’ad air-launched weapon. The Babur was unveiled in 2005 and the shorter-range Ra’ad was announced in 2007. The service status of both weapons remains uncertain.

Development of the Nirbhay apparently began at least five years ago. It would be the third indigenous weapon to equip the Su-30MKI, joining the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile—a variant of the NPO Mashinostroenia 3M55 (SS-N-26)—and the Astra medium-range air-to-air missile. The Nirbhay would have three times the range of the Brahmos. The army is also acquiring a ground-launched land-attack version of the Brahmos alongside the system in development for the air force.

An air-launched variant of the subsonic Nirbhay “is in the initial stages,” says an Indian industry official. There are “plans for it, but not immediately,” he adds.

The Nirbhay likely adopts a conventional cruise missile configuration with some form of flip-out mid-body wing and cruciform tail surfaces. The turbofan engine most likely will be recessed in the airframe body, given the requirement that the weapon be canister-launch-capable.

It is not yet clear which turbojet India plans to use for the Nirbhay. It did strike a deal with Russia over the supply and in-country manufacture of the Saturn 36MT engine in 2006, though the extent to which this deal has been implemented is uncertain.

There are also suggestions that India’s development program has had some technical support from Israel.

Given the size of the Nirbhay—reports suggest it is 6 meters (19.6 ft.)—the Su-30MKI would likely carry one or two of the missiles. To maximize platform range, the aircraft could carry one weapon on a pylon in the tunnel between the two engine bays. This is the approach being taken with the Brahmos missile, which is now scheduled to begin initial launch trials from a test aircraft in 2011. If the aircraft were to carry two Nirbhays, one could fit under each inboard wing-station.

New Delhi has also yet to disclose what kinds of mid-course and terminal guidance the Nirbhay will use. India and Russia did, however, strike a deal this year allowing Indian access to the high-precision signal of Moscow’s Glonass satellite navigation system.

In terms of medium-range standoff weapons, the Indian air force’s Su-30MKI can carry the Russian Missile Corp. Kh-59M (AS-18 Kazoo). A conventional variant of the Nirbhay, with the requisite level of accuracy, would provide a long-range precision-strike complement to the Kh-59M.

[buglerbilly]

First Torpedo Launched from C295

(Source: Airbus Military; issued May 7, 2010)



Airbus Military successfully conducted the first torpedo launch from one of its C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA).

This represents an important milestone in the development of the antisubmarine version of the C295 MPA. It is also a significant entry for Airbus Military into the market of Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft, currently dominated by veteran aircraft such as the P-3 Orion and the Atlantique.

The C295 MPA/ASW includes two under-wing pylons for the installation of torpedoes and other external loads. It also incorporates a Store Management System (SMS), integrated with the Airbus Military Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS), to control the deployment of sonobuoys for submarine detection and torpedoes.

The C295 MPA has a flight endurance of over 11 hours, and it is used for a wide variety of missions: Search and Rescue (SAR), control of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), law enforcement, marine pollution detection, as well as defence missions. The C295 platform, a multi-mission short / medium range tactical transport aircraft, offers high manoeuvrability and excellent qualities for low-altitude flying.

In addition, it has been widely tested in all kinds of aerial deployments: launch of chains of SAR rafts, emergency equipment and parachutists.

With this new version, Airbus Military increases the capabilities offered by its surveillance aircraft family.

To date, a total of 82 C295s have been sold to 12 operators, and nine countries have contracted 47 CN235/C295s MPA, which demonstrates the capabilities and effectiveness of Airbus Military platforms for maritime patrol missions. Airbus Military has sold more than 800 C295/CN235/C212s to more than 120 costumers.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:10/05/10

SOURCE:Flight International

Raytheon moves MALD-J forward with new contract

By Stephen Trimble

Raytheon will begin manufacturing and testing a new version of the miniature air-launched decoy (MALD) designed to penetrate hostile airspace and jam radars within range of surface-to-air missiles.

A $48.9 million contract announced on 6 May launches the engineering, manufacturing and design phase for the US Air Force programme. By the end of 2012, Raytheon's MALD-J is expected to enter service after completing a series of free flight and captive carry tests.

The MALD-J is launched by a fighter, bomber or unmanned aircraft system, flies up to about 925km (500nm) and weighs up to 136kg (300lb).

MALD-J is the air force's only option to field a "stand-in" jammer against radar threats. It is derived from the baseline MALD, which is designed to spoof radars.

Raytheon envisages that US military demand for decoys and jammers will drive sales for thousands of MALDs and MALD-Js, says missile systems business development manager Michael Spencer.

So far, the MALD-J has completed two free flights testing both the flight controls and jammer payload, he says.

The USAF, meanwhile, is mulling over the idea of investing in a power upgrade for the jammer. An option to install a datalink was declined, Spencer says.

[Deks]

Slightly older news but I don't recall reading it on here before.



U.S. Navy's Multipurpose Bomb Rack program reaches Milestone B
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. | The U.S. Navy’s first bomb rack design effort in four decades recently met a new milestone.

The BRU-69/A multipurpose bomb rack (MPBR) received a Milestone B approval, which authorizes the program to move into the System Development and Demonstration phase. The Navy awarded the Engineering Manufacturing Development contract to Raytheon March 29.

The 210-pound rack will replace the current inventory of BRU-33, BRU-41, BRU-42 and BRU-55 racks.

“By replacing four racks with one, the MPBR will significantly reduce the Aircraft Armament Equipment (AAE) logistical footprint, aircraft turnaround time and life-cycle cost,” said Capt. Carl Chebi, NAVAIR’s Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201) program manager. “Being able to carry multiple store configurations from a single weapons rack provides tremendous flexibility to the warfighter.”

The twin-store, non-pyrotechnic carriage system will consolidate the capabilities of legacy bomb racks currently deployed on the F/A-18 E-F into a single rack, reducing overall logistics and ownership cost. MPBR will also be integrated on the Joint Strike Fighter.

“MPBR’s primary technical advantage to the fleet is that it is non-pyrotechnic and much less labor intensive to maintain,” said Ralph “Chip” Whipkey, PMA-201 AAE integrated product team lead. “Current bomb racks use Cartridge Actuated Devices (CADs) to provide the energy to drive the rack and release the stores. The CAD, while effective, leaves an explosive residue that is corrosive thereby driving additional rack cleaning and maintenance by the fleet maintainer.”

The rack’s Universal Armament Interface (UAI) software enables the aircraft to communicate with its ordnance. UAI’s functionality is similar to USB architecture which enables compatible hardware to be connected and operated without any additional hardware or software changes.
This capability enables MPBR to be used with current and future “smart weapons,” including laser guided weapons, Joint Direct Attack Munition, Joint Standoff Weapon and Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles.

Raytheon and Ultra Electronics will team up to develop MPBR, with assessment expected in early 2011 followed by low rate initial production in 2014. Inventory objectives call for 2,050 units to be produced.

MPBR is slated to reach the fleet in 2017.

PMA-201 is responsible for the research, development and acquisition of the fleet’s air-to-ground precision guided weapons, general-purpose bombs and aircraft armament-related equipment.


link (http://www.defpro.com/news/details/14432/)


Also worth a scan through

https://www.fbo.gov/utils/view?id=917fe4ef255bfb361a244815ba217ecc

Main point to take away is that it will allow dual carraige (on a single pylon) of GBU-12, JDAMs, JSOW, and also quad carraige of JAGM. Do doubt something the RAAF would be interested in, though apparently the rack is to go through 7 years of testing. !

[buglerbilly]

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

IPODS - Coming to a Cave Near You

Posted by Graham Warwick at 5/18/2010 11:10 AM CDT

"Bomb them back to the Stone Age" might become a mild enjoinder if the US Air Force proceeds with a program call IPODS - Integrated Precision Ordnance Delivery System. It's aim is to develop a prototype air-launched, highly maneuverable weapon capable of "defeating internal tunnel defenses and targets deep within tunnels." And caves.

Details are scant - the Air Force Research Laboratory has announced there will be a Phase 2 industry day at Elgin AFB on 24 June - but a solicitation for Phase 1 concept refinement released a year ago said IPODS was needed "to hold at risk critical mission areas far down a tunnel behind blast doors". Multiple weapons would be carried by the F-15E, B-52 and B-2 using existing carriage hardware.

That suggests IPODS is intended to fly into cave and tunnel complexes and penetrate man-made barriers before exploding. The current method is to detonate a thermobaric weapon in the entrance to send a blast wave down the tunnel, with devastating effect. BLU-118/B penetrator bombs, AGM-114N Hellfire missiles and SMAW shoulder-fired rockets with thermobaric warheads have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan.


Thermobaric explosion (Credit: ISL)

But such weapon can be defeated by blast doors and other barriers, and penetrating defended cave and tunnel complexes is clearly becoming an issue. In March, the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency issued a request for information on the Robotic Underground Munition (RUM), "a one-time use, air-delivered, highly mobile vehicle having certain characteristics similar to an unmanned ground vehicle." RUM would have the ability to "avoid, traverse, neutralize or defeat natural and man-made obstacles".

Not sure what Apple will make of AFRL's choice of acronym, but I noticed the US Army has announced its intent to award Canada's Ultra Electronics Marine Systems a contract for "Rock Phones". These magneto-inductive communication systems can work through rock and earth that radio cannot penetrate. Clearly caves and tunnels will soon not be the refuge they once were.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:19/05/10

SOURCE:Flight International

Lockheed’s Scalpel bomb finds first customer

By Stephen Trimble

The US Navy is acquiring a new type of weapon to allow fast jets to precisely strike small targets in urban areas without causing widespread damage.

The Lockheed Martin small contained-area precision energetic load, or Scalpel, weapon will be acquired under a sole-source contract placed by the US Naval Air Systems command, says an acquisition notice published on 14 March.

Lockheed developed Scalpel as a weaponised version of the Paveway II-based enhanced laser guided training round. The munition integrates a small warhead and an improved seeker.

The notice is the first public indication that Lockheed has found a customer for Scalpel, which the company last marketed two years ago. At that time, the design was used in tests by the Naval Air Warfare Center, which integrated the weapon on a McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier.

Lockheed has billed Scalpel as a small weapon that offers precision targeting and minimal collateral damage, especially for close air support and urban warfare missions.

The weapon can be integrated on the navy's AV-8B and Boeing F/A-18 fleets, as well as the Lockheed Martin F-16 and medium and large unmanned air systems fleets.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:25/05/10

SOURCE:Flight International

Raytheon, Boeing hail JAGM test success

By Stephen Trimble

As a Raytheon/Boeing team seeks to capture the joint air-to-ground missile (JAGM) contract, the team's first guided test vehicle launch struck a fixed target board "dead centre" from a 16km (8.6nm) range.

The self-funded, 2 April test demonstrated the Raytheon tri-mode seeker's ability to acquire and remain locked-on to the 1.2 x 2.4m (4 x 8ft) target board as the missile body pitches over at maximum altitude, says Mike Riley, Raytheon's JAGM programme manager.

The guided test vehicle used a semi-active laser to lock-on to an illuminated spot on the target board. The seeker also includes an imaging infrared camera and millimetre-wave radar, but relied on only the laser mode to maintain lock in the first test launch, Riley says.

The Raytheon/Boeing team is competing with Lockheed Martin for the JAGM contract to replace thousands of Lockheed AGM-114 Hellfire and Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick missiles fired from both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

JAGM intends to introduce a tri-mode seeker in the regular US Army and US Marine Corps munition inventory, as well as doubling the striking range of helicopters now equipped with Hellfire missiles to 16km.

Contract award for JAGM is expected in December 2010.

[buglerbilly]

Smaller, Lighter, Cheaper

New Missiles Are 'Absolutely Ideal' for Irregular Warfare

By WILLIAM MATTHEWS

Published: 31 May 2010

A new generation of small missiles promises to improve precision strike, limit collateral damage and bring new capabilities to UAVs - if the U.S. military can be convinced to use them.

Meet Scorpion, Spike and Griffin, missiles that are designed to be smaller, lighter and cheaper than the missiles now widely used by the U.S. services. They're byproducts of irregular warfare - precise so they hit their intended target, low-yield to limit collateral damage.

And they're a good match for irregular war's other technological luminary, the unmanned aerial vehicle.

"They're absolutely ideal for UAVs," said Steve Farrow, who heads weapons business development for Lockheed Martin in Orlando, Fla.

Lockheed's entry in the small missile domain is the Scorpion. Weighing 35 pounds, it's 21.5 inches long and 4.25 inches in diameter and is designed to use the same M-299 and M-310 launchers that are used to launch Hellfire missiles from helicopters and Predator UAVs.

Scorpion is meant to be a Hellfire alternative.

"The war we're currently fighting is a different kind of battle," Farrow said. "The bad guys are figuring out how to hide out in homes and near schools. We can't go in and drop large bombs - that just doesn't work any more."

The 100-pound Hellfire armed with a 20-pound high-explosive warhead was designed to kill tanks and attack bunkers. It causes substantial damage, sometimes too much.

The Scorpion can be armed with a 17-pound warhead or a five-pound charge, Farrow said.

"You want to fly around with UAVs, pick out the bad guys and you want specifically to take out the bad guys without hurting anyone else," he said. "You want low collateral damage."

That, Farrow said, is what Scorpion delivers.

It's a gliding bomb rather than a rocket-powered missile. Depending on the altitude and speed from which it is launched, it can glide up to 10 nautical miles.

"Very precise targeting capabilities" also help limit collateral damage by ensuring that the Scorpion hits only its intended target, Farrow said.

It accommodates a variety of precision seekers that are accurate to within a meter of their target. A semi-active laser seeker guides the Scorpion to a target being illuminated by a laser; a millimeter-wave seeker finds targets through fog and rain; and imaging infrared and shortwave infrared seekers go after heat sources such as engines.

Lockheed has been working mainly with the U.S. Air Force and Special Operations Command to develop the Scorpion and lately has been pursuing the Navy as a possible customer, Farrow said.

So far, though, the Scorpion remains in development. Reports suggesting that it has been used in Afghanistan and Pakistan were inaccurate, a Lockheed spokesman said.

While a Scorpion is one-third the size of a Hellfire, a Spike missile is less than one-third the size of a Scorpion.

"We started out looking for a sub-10-pounder," said Steve Felix of the Naval Air Warfare Center at China Lake, Calif. It wasn't intended for UAVs; Felix was looking for a guided missile that was small enough, light enough and cheap enough for Marines to carry in backpacks and fire with abandon.

"Cost was our primary driver," Felix said. "Marines say if they can't shoot them by the bunch, they don't want 'em."

Felix quickly discovered that no such missile existed, nor did most of the parts needed to build one. So Felix set about building his own.

The Spike "was wholly developed by the Navy, right down to mixing the rocket fuel" and the explosive for the missile's one-pound warhead, Felix said.

The result is a 25-inch-long, 2.25-inch-diameter missile that weighs about 5.4 pounds. It's powered by a small solid rocket motor and guided by a tiny 1-megapixel video camera. It has a range of about two miles.

The camera "feeds you a picture, you put a box on the target, pull the trigger and it's fire-and-forget," Felix said.

It's the smallest guided missile in the world, according to the Naval Air Warfare Center, and its projected $5,000 per-missile price tag would make it the cheapest.

And it works.

"We've had seven successful firings that resulted in hits of targets. Four were moving targets," Felix said. One was a truck traveling at 20 miles per hour that was hit from a mile and a half away. Others include a small speedboat hit by a Spike missile fired from a boat.

The missile has also been fired from an Army Vigilante UAV, a 625-pound unmanned helicopter.

Because it was designed to be shoulder-fired, the Spike missile shows promise as a weapon for small UAVs.

"When you look at anything other than a Predator, most UAVs have about the same lift capability, shock tolerance and temperature tolerance as a human being," Felix said.

UAVs can't haul the weight of a 100-pound missile or withstand the kick of 1,000 pounds of thrust from a rocket motor or accommodate a complex fire control system.

The Spike avoids all that.

"We designed it as a bolt-on weapon," said Felix, adding that it requires only a tiny fire control system and very little integration with the platform that carries it. "We were trying to make that piece of the puzzle less expensive, too."

Limiting collateral damage was a goal in Spike development as well.

"We were concerned after our experience in Iraq about being about to pick out point targets," Felix said. "You want to hit only the guy you want, not the school bus three cars back."

Precision guidance and the small warhead accomplish that, he said.

The Spike missile is currently being considered for use by the services.

One new small missile that seems to already be in service is the Griffin.

Raytheon received a $14.5 million contract from the Army in June 2009 to supply "Griffin A and B munitions and engineering services," the company said. The Army Aviation and Missile Contracting Center at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., said the missiles were to be delivered May 31.

Raytheon officials won't talk about the missile or the contract, insisting that they are forbidden to do so by "the customer."

Instead, Raytheon refers questions to an Air Force testing center in Florida. Officials there refer questions back to Raytheon and to the Pentagon, and the Pentagon refers them back to the Air Force.

Not all about the Griffin is secret, though.

It's 43 inches long, 5.5 inches in diameter and weighs about 35 pounds. It has a solid rocket motor and a 13-pound warhead. And three Griffin missiles can be carried by a Predator UAV in place of one Hellfire, according to published reports. ■

E-mail: bmatthews@defensenews.com

[buglerbilly]

Northrop Grumman's Viper Strike Being Added to KC-130J Arsenal

(Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.; issued June 2, 2010)

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. --- The U.S. Marine Corps Harvest Hawk aircraft will soon be equipped with Northrop Grumman Corporation-built Viper Strike stand-off precision guided munition as part of an effort under way to bring greater utility to the Marines' KC-130J refueling and cargo aircraft.

Under the terms of the contract, Northrop Grumman will deliver 65 Viper Strike munitions beginning this year to the Joint Attack Munition Systems Project Office within the Program Executive Office Missiles and Space at Redstone Arsenal for eventual integration onto the KC-130J platform.

Viper Strike is a gliding munition capable of precision attack from extended stand-off ranges using GPS-aided navigation and a semi-active laser seeker. Its small size, precision and high agility provide a very low collateral damage weapon that can be used in the difficult operational environments where U.S. troops may be deployed.

"In today's irregular warfare environment, Viper Strike provides the right characteristics needed to support our warfighters in the current fight - high precision and agility to hit targets in complex terrain and with very low collateral damage," said Steve Considine, programs director, Aviation and Weapons for Northrop Grumman's Land and Self-Protection Systems Division. "The KC-103J represents the latest military airborne asset to be equipped with Viper Strike's formidable capabilities."

Viper Strike munitions are produced at the company's Huntsville, Ala., facility.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

DATE:04/06/10

SOURCE:Flight International

USAF sets 2013 entry for extended-range JASSM

By John Croft

The US Air Force says it will be ready to deploy the extended-range version of its Lockheed Martin-built AGM-158 joint air-to-surface stand-off missile (JASSM) in the second half of 2013.

Using larger fuel tanks and a more efficient Williams International F107-WR-105 turbofan engine, rather than the Teledyne CAE J402-CA-100 turbojet, the JASSM ER (AGM-158B) will have a range of more than 926km (500nm), up from 370km for the original missile.

The AGM-158 entered service in 1999 and has not been used in combat to date. Lockheed in April rolled out the 1,000th JASSM round from its Troy, Alabama factory, one of 1,200 units that have been purchased for use with the Boeing F-15, B-1B and B-52, Lockheed F-16 and Northrop Grumman B-2, and with the US Navy's Boeing F/A-18.

Early problems with the cruise missiles, which caused the air force to put the programme on hold from June 2007 until May 2008 have been addressed. This was evidenced by 15 successful launches in 16 tests of Lot 7 JASSMs in autumn 2009, says Col Stephen Demers, air force JASSM programme manager and 308th Armament Systems Group commander. "These are the best results in the history of the programme," he says.

Lockheed was awarded a Lot 8 production contract for 158 missiles in January. Problems with Lot 5 and 6 missiles, which included fuzes that failed to initiate detonation and electrical problems elsewhere in the missile were fixed at Lockheed's expense and incorporated into Lot 7 examples, says Demers.

The USAF "upped" quality control on all suppliers in the aftermath of the investigations, he adds.

To date, the air force has tested six JASSM-ER missiles launched from a B-1 bomber (below) and has five additional tests due this summer, starting in July.


© Lockheed Martin

Demers expects the first production buy for the JASSM ER by January 2011 as part of the weapon's Lot 9 purchase. Air force testing of the JASSM ER, which has 70% hardware commonality and 95% software commonality with the regular version of the cruise missile, will include 21 test launches.

Demers says Lockheed's F-35 Lightning II is "on the list" to receive both missiles, to be carried externally, but that no funding is in place for the work. A systems level readiness review is set for summer, following successful subsystem production readiness reviews conducted between February and April, the air force says.

[buglerbilly]

VIDEO: Air Force JASSM ER cruise missile -- No need for an ER

By John Croft on May 26, 2010 10:47 PM

While I don't usually cover the military beat, I find myself at Eglin Air Force base in Florida today, covering a variety of topics including CV-22 and F-35 simulators -- and missiles -- as part of a Lockheed Martin sponsored media blitz on the panhandle.

We learned that the big brother of the standard JASSM (Joint air-to-surface standoff missile) , of which there are more than 1,000 in the field (for several fighters and the B-52, B-1 and B-2 bombers) and which have not yet been called upon for bunker-bursting duty, could be finished with testing and deployed to the field in mid-2013.

The JASSM ER (extended range) has a 500nm range, up from 200nm with the standard unit. It's a bit longer and weighs more, but is 70% common with the existing unit with respect to hardware and 95% common in software.

The Air Force just today gave us a video of the ER going about its business on six test flights on the B-1 to date. A series of five more shots are slated for this summer, with another 16 on tap as part of the test program that could see a military decision to buy by year's end, with deployment to the troops 2.5 years later, after a great deal of testing and evaluation.

When this baby hits, there's no need for an ER (emergency room)....Enjoy!

[Tim]

Would anyone hereabouts be able to tell me where the RAAF sits re JASSM at the moment? All I could find were dated articles about its acquisition and mention of an intent to achieve IOC by late 2009. The various developmental setbacks suffered by JASSM have as I recall appeared quite prominently in the media, though I don't know how serious the setbacks really were to the overall program. I would think we would have heard something from Faulkner or Combet if IOC had been achieved, so I was wondering if anyone could tell me - how is the weapon coming along in the RAAF? Have the various problems that reportedly affected the missile's development diminished the RAAF's confidence in the weapon? Has the Super Hornet purchase (a potential launch platform for SLAM-ER and, should it be developed, JSOW-ER) reduced the priority of integrating JASSM with the legacy Hornets?

Or am I jumping the gun, and the integration is proceeding as best it can? Personally I hope things are going strong, it seems like a hell of a capability if it can be made to work as advertised. Beats the hell out of AGM-142...

[ARH v.3.0]

I have vague recollections about the weapon's integration with the Hornet fleet heading along successfully, and it comes as a standard fit for the SHornet.

I would personally really like to see the ER variant integrated with the AP-3 fleet to provide a more strategic strategic strike capability that can target more than the Indonesians and is more responsive than sea based missiles.

[Tim]

I have vague recollections about the weapon's integration with the Hornet fleet heading along successfully, and it comes as a standard fit for the SHornet.

I would personally really like to see the ER variant integrated with the AP-3 fleet to provide a more strategic strategic strike capability that can target more than the Indonesians and is more responsive than sea based missiles.

Cheers for the update mate. I didn't realise the Super could employ JASSM, but now reading my articles more closely I see it was integrated onto the aircraft before the US Navy dropped out of the program in 2005. That's handy then - makes all the nonsense about our diminishing strike capacity in the wake of the F-111's retirement sound even more ridiculous. I know integration of a single weapon type isn't a big deal, but the more I learn about the Super, the happier I am with the decision to acquire it. I'll be interested to see how it goes in the Indian and Brazilian competitions - it seems to offer a lot more in terms of developed, existing capabilities than something like Rafale or Eurofighter.

ARH, it's an interesting thought, the maritime patrol aircraft filling a strategic strike role. Added to the recent and upcoming RAAF and RAN acquisitions it certainly paints a bloody fierce picture. From what I understand the P-8 has a hell of a payload to play with too, but then that's getting a bit ahead of myself... and for the purposes of slinging a JASSM-ER to a launch point I suppose the difference between a P-3 and P-8 isn't all that great.

When you mention sea-based missiles, I take it you mean Collins-fired Harpoons?

[ARH v.3.0]

When you mention sea-based missiles, I take it you mean Collins-fired Harpoons?

More along the lines of sub and AWD based Tomahawk. Not that I think we shouldn't get it as well, but the area that can be covered and the potential volume of fire is limited.

[buglerbilly]

Cheers for the update mate. I didn't realise the Super could employ JASSM, but now reading my articles more closely I see it was integrated onto the aircraft before the US Navy dropped out of the program in 2005. That's handy then - makes all the nonsense about our diminishing strike capacity in the wake of the F-111's retirement sound even more ridiculous. I know integration of a single weapon type isn't a big deal, but the more I learn about the Super, the happier I am with the decision to acquire it. I'll be interested to see how it goes in the Indian and Brazilian competitions - it seems to offer a lot more in terms of developed, existing capabilities than something like Rafale or Eurofighter.

ARH, it's an interesting thought, the maritime patrol aircraft filling a strategic strike role. Added to the recent and upcoming RAAF and RAN acquisitions it certainly paints a bloody fierce picture. From what I understand the P-8 has a hell of a payload to play with too, but then that's getting a bit ahead of myself... and for the purposes of slinging a JASSM-ER to a launch point I suppose the difference between a P-3 and P-8 isn't all that great.

When you mention sea-based missiles, I take it you mean Collins-fired Harpoons?

See here................2010 Australian Budget report published by Abe

http://www.w54.biz/showthread.php?462-2010-Australian-Budget&highlight=jassm


JASSM: First live fire from a RAAF F/A-18A/B in the USA is expected in June 2010 and in Australia in September 2010. The IOC is expected in 2010 and will be for both fixed and relocating land targets. For other targets: “The capability requirement to engage a moving maritime target is an option under the contract. Proceeding with this option is dependent on USAF development of an anti-surface warfare capability within a timeframe that is suitable for the Australian application. Defence-funded Lockheed Martin simulation studies into the missile performance in a maritime environment are now complete, and are informing Defence and Government decisions on whether to proceed with the moving maritime target capability.”

[Tim]

Oh thanks very much for digging that up mate! Appreciated :D

[Gubler, A.]

A few points:

JASSM and Orion: Beloved of the likes of Carlo Kopp the Orion and JASSM upgrade was far from a long range strategic cruise missile attack platform. Firstly the upgrade was cancelled because of the MU90 torpedo. The idea was to fit a new systems upgrade to the AP-3C that could operate both the MU90 and the JASSM. With the MU90 being delayed and overrun this was dropped. Secondly the key capability of the JASSM for Orion would be against littoral targets and re-attack profiles.

JASSM and Range: The JASSM has long range (and even longer range in the turbofan ER version: normal JASSM has a turbojet) but it also has a data link. Combined with its seeker head this provides a man in the loop capability for precision engagement. In particular this means loiter and re-attack capability. This is a highly effective way to find complex targets in complex environments and has been proven in operations with the Delilah missile by the IDF (itself a weaponised version of the Chukar target drone). The RAAF is more interested in using JASSM’s range to not bomb strategic targets deep in mainland China (!!!) but to hit a complex target with stand off range. So the aircrew operating the weapon can prowl around a bit and find the right target.

JASSM and Super Hornet: The Super Hornet shares a lot of systems needed to make JASSM work thanks to integration of JSOW but more needs to be done to clear and integrate the weapon. This has been funded and is progressing. JSOW-ER is a very different weapon to JASSM despite having a similar gross range. JSOW is very much a glide bomb, even the –ER version, and a very good glide bomb. JASSM is a flying missile and can do all the things an aircraft can do in terms of flight profile.

JASSM and Ships: Lockheed have done a basic integration study of JASSM and the MK 41 VLS and it does fit. You wouldn’t be able to encapsulate it and launch it form a torpedo tube because it’s too wide. It probably could fit in a submarine VLS but a lot of work would be needed to integrate it. Though some basic, wider application under water launch work being done by the USN might make it easier. With the automatic tracking of moving maritime targets option JASSM would make an ideal Harpoon replacement for RAN destroyers and frigates. Especially with its enhanced land attack capability.

Anyway JASSM is a very good weapon but it’s still no Turana!

[buglerbilly]

I've never driven a Turana, who makes that Ford or Holden?

[Gubler, A.]

I've never driven a Turana, who makes that Ford or Holden?

Government Aircraft Factory. It was a turbojet powered version of the Ikara used as a target drone by the RAN. Kind of looks like JASSM.

PS Torana or Turana be it made by GMH or GAF is an Aboriginal language word for "to fly"...

[ARH v.3.0]

JASSM and Orion: Beloved of the likes of Carlo Kopp the Orion and JASSM upgrade was far from a long range strategic cruise missile attack platform.

I don't ever recall saying it was. I'll re-quote myself.


I would personally really like to see the ER variant...

[Gubler, A.]

I don't ever recall saying it was. I'll re-quote myself.

I don't think I even read your post. But of course the ER version would be good. The difference is just a more fuel efficent engine and more fuel. Once it is available I'm sure it will be purchased. Its more a Block 2 than a variant.

[Tim]

Some great information there Abe, thanks very much for sharing. Ship-launched JASSM sounds like it would be a pretty big step forward from Harpoon for any warship with the VLS to spare. I had wondered whether a Harpoon replacement was on the horizon - haven't heard any complaints about it, but the compared to modern weapons like JASSM the basic design is starting to look pretty dated...

Cheers for the info on the Super Hornet, my material must have been wrong (random article from google so no surprise there). Glad to hear they're going forward with JASSM integration.

[Aussie Digger]

Some great information there Abe, thanks very much for sharing. Ship-launched JASSM sounds like it would be a pretty big step forward from Harpoon for any warship with the VLS to spare. I had wondered whether a Harpoon replacement was on the horizon - haven't heard any complaints about it, but the compared to modern weapons like JASSM the basic design is starting to look pretty dated...

Cheers for the info on the Super Hornet, my material must have been wrong (random article from google so no surprise there). Glad to hear they're going forward with JASSM integration.

DMO states on it's website that they signed a contract to integrate JASSM onto the F/A-18F. I know there's some doubt about this, but the information is still there...


Prime contractor: An FMS case was established with the US Air Force in July 2006 to supply AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles(JASSM). A commercial contract was signed with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in September 2006 for support for integration of JASSM with F/A-18F aircraft and supply of technical data and documentation.

http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/lsp/further_LSP.cfm#followsow

[Gubler, A.]

Some great information there Abe, thanks very much for sharing. Ship-launched JASSM sounds like it would be a pretty big step forward from Harpoon for any warship with the VLS to spare. I had wondered whether a Harpoon replacement was on the horizon - haven't heard any complaints about it, but the compared to modern weapons like JASSM the basic design is starting to look pretty dated...

The new maritime strike missile is in the DCP but missed out on being in the last public one from the fortunately short lived decision to reduce the outlook from 5 to 10 years. Like the Harpoon there is no doubt a desire to have a common air and surface launched missile. However the project is for an air launched missile. The Navy seems happy with the Harpoon for the time being though this may all be changed as definition of the naval cruise missile and land attack weapon capabilities are explored.


4th from left: JASSM
L to R: SM3, THAAD, TLAM, JASSM, SLAM-ER, SM4 (LASM), Polythem, SM2ER/SM6, SM2, Aster 30, Aster 15, RIM-7, ESSM, VL-ASROC

The big issue that may crunch the apparent inevitable forward path of JASSM “Turana Mk 2/3” is the internal weapons bays of the F-35A and the Kongsberg NSM/JSM. JASSM is too big for internal carriage on the F-35A. The NSM and its ‘American Made’ derivative the JSM is very similar in capability to JASSM. Just less range and less of a warhead. But it can fit into the bays. Defence co-funded an integration study with Norway to make sure of this but Australia is NOT a partner in NSM (which you can read around the internet).

If internal carriage becomes a key requirement then the NSM may win the new maritime strike missile. In which case it may replace Harpoon onboard the warships. It is an angle launched missile from canisters but could be modified for VLS launch. Which you really wouldn’t need to do as its canisters could just replace the Harpoon canisters.


NSM

[Aussie Digger]

L-M is also looking at a JASSM model with less range, but which WILL fit internally on the F-35. of course this will be some years off, but RAAF was previously interested in a 'family' of air to surface weapons, the options with JASSM might provide exactly that...

[buglerbilly]

Published 01:53 08.06.10
Latest update 01:53 08.06.10

Israel asked U.S. to increase weapons supply, Haaretz learns

Air force seeking more JDAM bombs, and larger emergency stores held by American army.

By Amos Harel

Israel recently approached the United States with new requests for security-related purchases, Haaretz has learned. The requests included Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM ) bombs for the Israel Air Force, as well as a significant expansion of the emergency stores held by the U.S. army in Israel.


Defense Minister Ehud Barak and U.S. President Barack Obama at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, July 2008
Photo by: Daniel Bar-On / Jini

The Israeli requests were brought up during recent visits to Washington by Defense Minister Ehud Barak and director-general of the Defense Ministry, Udi Shani, and in conversations with senior administration and Congress officials.

The priority list reflects the security threats the defense establishment believes Israel will face in the next few years, i.e. the eventuality of a prolonged war, which would necessitate using the IAF widely to attack many targets, along with ensuring enough spare parts and supplies.

Israel also requested JDAM bombs, seeking to significantly increase the number of such munitions already in its arsenal. The JDAM bombs have been used increasingly in recent operations, including in the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and Operation Cast Lead in 2008.

Israel is also seeking to increase the amount of gear held by the American army in their emergency stores in Israel by 50% - from $800 million to $1.2 billion. The Obama administration placed the stores in Israel in December, as part of a number of steps to improve U.S. assistance to Israeli security. To date, $600 million worth of American emergency equipment has been placed in Israel.

The American stores hold rockets, bombs, aircraft ammunition and armored vehicles, along with other weapons. The gear fully matches equipment already used by the Israel Defense Forces and is cataloged upon arrival to ensure quick and easy access at a time of need, pending permission from the United States. The American move has a dual purpose: bringing military equipment closer to areas in which Americans might need to fight, and assisting the U.S. ally should the need arise.

Senior military sources told Haaretz that the IDF attaches great importance to the stores; in the event of an extensive conflict, considerable time will pass before an airlift of ammunition and spare parts - similar to the one operated during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war - gets under way.

[buglerbilly]

User Trials of DRDO-Developed Laser-Guided Bombs Successful

(Source: India Press Information Bureau; issued June 9, 2010)

The Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a premier DRDO aeronautical lab at Bangalore, has successfully designed, developed and carried out the user trials of laser guided bombs at Pokhran with the participation of users, Indian Air Force.

Flight tests have demonstrated the accuracy, reliability and performance of these precision air-launched bombs. The tests have been conducted after extensive simulation, design validation and ground experiments followed by series of flight evaluation.

A number of high-tech components have also been developed by Indian industries for this advanced weapon package. IAF is expected to upgrade a large number of unguided bombs to this standard based on the excellent results seen during these tests.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Spain’s Participation in the Production Phase of the Meteor Missile

(Source: Spanish Council of Ministers; issued June 11, 2010)

(Issued in Spanish only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)

The Council of Ministers has authorized the signing of the agreement covering Spain’s participation in the series production phase of the Meteor programme. The cost is one hundred million euros, to be disbursed in seven annual installments.

The purpose of the Meteor program is the development and subsequent production of a long range (more than one hundred kilometers) air-to-air missile to equip the Eurofighter EF-2000, which will gain a true beyond visual range air combat capability.

The Council of Ministers at its meeting of December 14, 2001 had authorized the Minister of Defence to sign the Meteor Program Memorandum of Understanding, along with representatives from France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and United Kingdom, which are the other participating countries.

The entry of Spain into the production phase will allow the allocation of related work packages which imply the transfer of technology relating to subsystems that are being developed in other coutries, principally Germany and the United Kingdom. This will offset a small deficit that occurred in the allocation of work at the development stage, and will favorably position the Spanish industry for possible future exports.

In accordance with the conditions contained in the Memorandum of Understanding and the industrial contract, Spain will get a 10 percent industrial return (value equal to its participation in the program).

Spanish industrial participation in the development program involved the companies Navantia, Indra, Inmize, INTA and General Dynamics-Santa Barbara Sistemas.

-ends-

[buglerbilly]

Lockheed Martin's Scorpion Successful in Flight Test

(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued June 21, 2010)


Scorpion is the warfighter's answer to precision attack using a small, lethal warhead against targets in areas requiring low collateral damage. A Lockheed Martin photo

ORLANDO, Fla. --- A Lockheed Martin Scorpion munition was successfully flight tested June 17 from a C-130 aircraft at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ. Ejected at an altitude of 5,000 feet through a Common Launch Tube on the aircraft, Scorpion successfully deployed its fins and wing, allowing it to precisely glide 1.65 nautical miles to the target.

Utilizing a Global Positioning System / Inertial Navigation System to locate the target area, Scorpion employed its Semi-Active Laser (SAL) seeker to strike the laser-designated target. The SAL seeker is one of several seekers that can be used with Scorpion.

Scorpion is an unpowered, lightweight, compact munition that provides the Warfighter with an affordable strike option against a broad target set. Scorpion is adaptable to multiple launch platforms, including manned and unmanned systems. Targets can include structures, personnel, lightly armored vehicles, trucks, cars, missile launchers, and artillery or gun positions. It has a maximum range of over 10 nautical miles.

"Scorpion provides the Warfighter with a much-needed affordable solution against targets in areas requiring low collateral damage, such as urban environments," said Randy Bigum, vice president of Strike Weapons for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This precision attack munition features a small, lethal warhead which can be launched from a wide variety of platforms to take out time-critical fixed or moving targets."

Scorpion uses a SAL seeker for man-in-the-loop terminal guidance, and can be tailored to use planned, imaging infrared, shortwave infrared or millimeter wave seekers. The precision provided by these seeker types ensures accuracy to less than one meter and dramatically reduces the possibility of collateral damage. Multiple warhead options are also available for use against various target types.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

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[buglerbilly]

£8.6M Weapon Enhancement Improves Tornado Aircraft Capability

(Source: BAE Systems; issued June 29, 2010)

WARTON, UK --- BAE Systems has been awarded an £8.6M contract to integrate improved weaponry onto the Tornado GR4 fleet, by the UK Ministry of Defence.

Introduction of the Insensitive Munition (IM) variant of the Dual Mode Brimstone guided missile will provide the UK's Royal Air Force with a low collateral, precision attack capability against manoeuvring and fixed targets, in line with operational requirements and forms part of a wider weaponry package known as SPEAR (Selective Precision Effects At Range).

A series of flight trials which will commence in 2011 will be carried out at BAE Systems Warton site to provide the necessary evidence to clear the Tornado GR4s to carry and deploy this weapon. The contract is just one element of a larger Complex Weapons contract, awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence to MBDA (UK) under the Team Complex Weapons initiative, earlier this year.

The award of this contract further underlines the company's capabilities in the area of readiness and sustainment, which accounts for around 40 per cent of BAE Systems' revenue in 2009.

Alun Fishburne, Managing Director Tornado and Harrier said: "It is vitally important that we support the frontline by offering the RAF the very best in complex weaponry. This programme will significantly enhance the Tornado fleet which already has proven capability on deployed operations in Afghanistan."

Tornado GR4s are currently operated from RAF Marham and RAF Lossiemouth and are also on operational deployment to Afghanistan.

BAE Systems is a global defence, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).

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[buglerbilly]

DATE:30/06/10

SOURCE:Flight International

USAF seeks out low-collateral damage Mk 82 bomb

By Stephen Trimble

The US Air Force could soon deploy a 226kg (500lb)-class guided bomb designed with a composite warhead to destroy targets while causing the least amount of collateral damage.

The first 50 Precision Lethality Mk 82 bombs could be delivered by January 2011, with up to 750 carbonfibre-wound warheads designated as BLU-129/B to follow.

The air force has issued a market survey seeking contractors that can deliver the composite warheads rapidly in response to an urgent request by Central Command, the US headquarters in the Middle East and parts of south Asia.

The Air Armament Center could award a contract as soon as August to build 125-175 warheads for a test programme, the survey says.

A "one-time production option" for 400-800 warheads could follow if the test programme is successful.

The air force also is buying a low-collateral damage version of the 130kg Boeing small diameter bomb called the full lethality munition.

Precision Lethality bombs would be nearly twice the size of the full lethality munition, but are still intended to minimise damage beyond a precise strike zone.

The new, composite BLU-129/B warheads would be installed in the Mk 82 bomb, which would be mated to a joint direct attack munition (JDAM) and laser JDAM guidance kits.

Earlier this year, the Senate added $35.5 million to overseas contingency operations budgets in fiscal year 2010 for the air force and navy to develop, test and field the Precision Lethality programme.

[buglerbilly]

More on this new approach for BRIMSTONE..............

DATE:01/07/10

SOURCE:Flight International

BAE to test MBDA's new Brimstone variant with Tornado GR4

By Niall O’Keeffe

Flight trials of the Panavia Tornado GR4 equipped with an insensitive munition variant of MBDA's dual-mode Brimstone guided missile are to be carried out next year from BAE Systems' Warton site in Lancashire.

The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE an £8.6 million ($12.9 million) contract to assist with integrating the weapon into the Royal Air Force's GR4 fleet, which MBDA expects to take place by 2012.

Readiness and sustainment contracts accounted for 40% of BAE's revenue in 2009.


© Crown Copyright

Tests due to start at Warton in 2011 will "provide the necessary evidence to clear the Tornado GR4 to carry and deploy this weapon", BAE says. Its work forms an element of a larger development and manufacturing contract awarded to MDBA by the MoD in March, within the Team Complex Weapons initiative, and which replaces an urgent operational requirement.

The new variant of the 50kg (110lb) dual-mode Brimstone forms part of the Selective Precision Effects At Range (Spear) Capability 2 Block 1 weapons package for RAF fast jets. It is intended to deliver a low-collateral, precision-attack capability deployable against manoeuvring and fixed targets in short- to medium-range close air support or counter-insurgency operations.

The RAF's Tornado GR4s, eight of which are deployed in Afghanistan, are operated from main bases at Marham, Norfolk and Lossiemouth, Scotland.

As part of a "spiral development" programme targeting "pan-platform utility", MBDA plans to integrate the IM-variant dual-mode Brimstone on the UK's BAE Harrier strike aircraft by 2012. It is also conducting an assessment that addresses applications with attack helicopters, the UK's Joint Combat Aircraft - Lockheed Martin's F-35B Joint Strike Fighter - and for unmanned aircraft systems and surface-launch.

Under the banner of Spear Capability 3, MBDA will, over the next three years, assess potential new 100kg-category weapons for deployment in long-range JSF-type missions, with a focus on reusing technologies to provide a low-cost option.

[buglerbilly]

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

French Air Force Rafales Go Nuclear

Posted by Robert Wall at 7/6/2010 4:07 AM CDT

One July 1, the French air force's Rafale strike fighter fleet was declared operationally ready in the nuclear strike mission.


(credit: SIRPA Air)

The Rafale carries the MBDA ASMP-A missile for that purpose. The mission is assigned to the 1/91 fighter squadron at the Saint-Dizier base.

The development of the ramjet-powered ASMP-A has not been trouble-free, but French air force chief of staff Gen. Jean-Paul Palomeros says the weapon is meeting performance demands. And, he notes, it is the first time the country has fielded such a nuclear weapon without an actual nuclear test. (As far as is known, France is the first nation to accomplish this feat.)

The Rafale will supersede the Mirage 2000N in the nuclear role.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:06/07/10

SOURCE:Flight International

South Africa, Brazil ready for A-Darter missile test

A South African Air Force Saab Gripen D fighter is expected to perform the first live firing of an A-Darter short-range air-to-air missile later this month, advancing a joint project with Brazilian industry.

Launched in April 2007 under a 66-month development and production programme co-funded by the Brazilian and South African air forces, the A-Darter is intended to arm the services' respective Northrop F-5EM/FM and future F-X2 fighters, and Gripen and BAE Systems Hawk 120 aircraft.

Worth $130 million, the project involves Denel Dynamics and a group of Brazilian companies headed by Mectron. Production activities should start in 2013, with Brazil's air force expecting the missile to enter service the following year.

Launch trials with the new weapon are scheduled to take place at South Africa's Overberg test range. Ground seeker tests concluded in January and captive carriage flight trials were completed in March, following the delivery of a first test missile to Saab in Sweden last September.

Nearly 50 Brazilian civilian and military engineers are supporting development work in South Africa, and Avibras and Mectron sources have pinned high hopes on the A-Darter's export potential.

Avibras chief executive Sami Hassuani believes an initial 100-200 units could be sold to international users, with Pakistan viewed as a prime candidate. Mectron delivered its first MAA-1A Piranha-1 air-to-air missiles to the nation last month, and Islamabad has also signed a letter of intent to purchase B-version Piranha-2s.

[buglerbilly]

France Completes World's First Vertical Strike Of Laser-Guided AASM

By PIERRE TRAN

Published: 9 Jul 2010 08:52

PARIS - France claimed a world-first vertical strike of a laser-guided AASM smart munition on July 9.

"The Direction Générale pour l'Armement (DGA) completed successfully Thursday June 17 2010 the first firing of an modular air to ground weapon (armament air sol modulaire - AASM) in a laser version at its Biscarosse site," the procurement office said in a statement. "This firing of a laser guided munition with a vertical impact constitutes a world first," the DGA said.

The firing was part of a feasibility study awarded to Safran group's Sagem in 2008.

A Rafale strike fighter flying from the DGA test flight center fired the laser guided AASM out at sea at a height of 13,000 ft and 25 km from the target at the Biscarosse missile test center. The target, made up of concrete blocks, was designated by a ground laser placed a few hundred meters away. A GPS reading had been entered which deliberately gave coordinates several tens of meters away from the target, to see whether the laser guidance would correct the targeting.

A vertical strike is intended to reduce damage and deaths in urban use, the DGA said. This version is also intended to be use against moving targets at sea or on ground.

A laser version of the AASM follows the initial GPS/inertial-guided AASM propelled bomb, and an infrared model is currently undergoing operational and technical tests.

Tests of the laser AASM will continue in the year.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:15/07/10

SOURCE:Flight International

ATK seeks to HARM Raytheon in new anti-radar missile bid

By Stephen Trimble

Alliant Techsystems (ATK) has submitted a bid to upgrade a worrisome control unit on the AGM-88 high-speed anti-radiation missile (HARM), challenging a rival proposal from the weapon's designer Raytheon.

By entering the race for the $51 million contract to upgrade 500 missiles, ATK is seeking to break into the Raytheon-dominated market for US Air Force anti-radar missiles.

ATK has proposed adapting a control unit, which includes a Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS), originally developed for the US Navy AGM-88E advanced anti radiation guided missile (AARGM) programme.

The AARGM has entered a final round of operational testing before entering service next year, says Bill Kasting, vice president and general manager of ATK's defence electronics division.

Raytheon also confirms that the company has submitted a bid for the air force contract, which is named "HARM control section modification" (HCSM). As the HARM's original designer, Raytheon has developed and tested a new control section as part of a larger, internally funded upgrade called the HARM destruction of enemy air defenses attack module (HDAM).

Unlike the navy's AARGM programme, the air force is not asking contractors to upgrade both the missile's control section and guidance system.

The USAF only wants a new control section, which can ensure that HARM does not lock-on to friendly radars by mistake.

The navy also wanted a guidance system for AARGM to defeat a relatively new enemy tactic. Opposing radar crews had learned to avoid getting hit by shutting down the radar after a HARM is launched. By adding the guidance system, the missile precisely aims for the last-known point where the radar was emitting.

[buglerbilly]

Anglo-French Naval Missile Passes Design Review

Posted by Bradley Peniston | July 20th, 2010

By PIERRE TRAN, FARNBOROUGH, UK – MBDA has completed the critical design review of the future air-to-surface guided weapon (FASGW), known in France as the missile anti-navire leger (ANL), said Steve Wadey, managing director of MBDA UK, at the Farnborough air show.


The future air-to-surface guided weapon (FASGW), known in France as the missile anti-navire leger (ANL). (MBDA photo)

“We are very advanced in the assessment phase,” Wadey said July 20.

He said design work would continue on key subsystems while waiting for the signing of the full-scale development contract in 2011. The ANL is a cooperative Anglo-French program.

There were no signs the missile program might fall prey to impending defense budget cuts in Britain and France.

The new missile is intended to enter service in 2015 or 2016 to replace the Sea Skua missile on Royal Navy helicopters.

The missile company is also talking to AgustaWestland and Eurocopter regarding the physical integration aspects of the program.

He also said that the Aster missile, the principal anti-air missile of the Type 45 Daring destroyer, has completed salvo firing in the Mediterranean and is expected “to enter service very soon.”

The Royal Navy has all the elements needed to bring the missile system into operational service, he said.

The Aster missile is a cooperative program common to Britain, France and Italy.

[buglerbilly]

Raytheon: UK Unlikely To Change Protectionist Policy

Posted by Bradley Peniston | July 21st, 2010

A couple of comments, the lack of a signed off agreement on US Arms Exports to the UK, signed by the UK but still to be signed by the USA has a direct influence here, and hence Raytheon's hesitance and concerns with State Department reactions IF they had joined Team Complex Weapons...........they stand a chance of missing out on Billions of dollars worth of Exports as a result of US Government intransigence...........

By ANDREW CHUTER, FARNBOROUGH, UK – Raytheon Missile Systems’ boss says he is not optimistic that Britain will any time soon change its industrial policy of giving “preferential treatment to other weapons companies.”


A pilot from the U.S. Air Force's 416th Flight Test Squadron fires the newest variant of Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder for the first time from an F-16 Fighting Falcon on April 9 at Edwards AFB, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tom Reynolds)

Speaking to reporters at the air show, Taylor Lawrence, the president of the Raytheon missile business, said he saw no near-
term likelihood Britain would change a 2006 policy to shield local companies from competition in order to preserve skills and capabilities.

The British government’s Team Complex Weapons arrangement was planned to hand a series of missile contracts to MBDA, Thales UK and others without competition.

That teaming arrangement has now switched to a number of bilateral agreements between the British-based weapons makers and the government.

Several major weapons programs are now going ahead without competition.

Raytheon was offered the opportunity of joining Team Complex Weapons in 2006 but declined, primarily due to fears the scheme would contravene U.S. anti-trust regulations.

The U.S. company is a major supplier of weapons to the British military; it supplies Javelin anti-tank weapons, AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, the Paveway IV precision guided bomb and other weapons.

The U.S. company has been holding discussions about a possible bilateral agreement of its own with the British and met MoD officials at the show for talks.

Lawrence said the bilateral agreements were a step in the right direction.

“We support it and stand ready to expedite negotiations,” he said.

[buglerbilly]

MBDA Unveils Small Guided Bomb at Farnborough

July 21, 2010 at 6:25 pm



The SABER small air bomb extended range (SABER) from MBDA is designed as a glide weapon deployed by smal UAVs such as teh Shadow, which will be able to carry multiple weapons, engaging targets off-axis flying at medium altitude, beyond enemy anti-aircraft fire. The unpowered weapon does not have distinctive launch signature and therefore maintains the element of surprise.

MBDA Missile Systems have unveiled a small laser+GPS/INS guided weapon developed with company funding at MBDA’s U.S. subsidiary. The weapon called Small Air Bomb Extended Range (SABER) can be configured as a rocket or glide weapon, according to the customer’s requirements. The dual mode warhead uses blast-fragmentation or shaped charge, for reduced collateral damage and penetration effect. The SABER uses a semi-active laser seeker for terminal guidance, and GPS/INS mid-course navigation enabling the weapon to fly off-axis, regardless to the direction of the launching platform. An alternative seeker employing TV/IR sensor with data-link communications enabling ‘man in the loop’ control is currently in development.

Douglas J. Denneny, Vice President of Government Relations at MBDA Inc. told Defense Update that the SABER could be available for operational use following the completion of flight tests anticipated in the ‘upcoming months’. The unpowered version weighs only 10 pounds, and its range is dependent on the launch altitude, with the rocket powered version adapted for low altitude launch, weighing about 30 pounds.

© 2010 Defence Update

[buglerbilly]

South Africa Purchases Raytheon Paveway Laser-Guided Bombs

(Source: Raytheon Company; issued July 22, 2010)

First sale of significant U.S. defense equipment to South Africa in 25 years

FARNBOROUGH, England --- The South African Department of Defence awarded Raytheon Company a contract for Paveway II laser-guided bombs.

Raytheon will provide the South African military with LGB computer control groups and air foil groups that transform "dumb" bombs into precision-guided munitions for operational test and evaluation on South Africa's Gripen fighter aircraft.

ARMSCOR awarded a contract on behalf of the South African Air Force for the procurement of LGB bomb kits. ARMSCOR, the Armaments Corporation of South Africa, is the officially appointed acquisition organization for the South African DoD.

The direct commercial sale was negotiated with the assistance of South Africa's ATLANTIS Corporation and calls for Raytheon to begin delivery in 2011. In addition to the weapons, Raytheon will provide air- and ground-crew training.

"The combat-proven Paveway family of weapons is integrated on more than 22 aircraft and serves 41 nations around the globe, making this weapon the ideal choice for the South African warfighter," said Harry Schulte, vice president of Raytheon's Air Warfare Systems product line. "Raytheon is the sole provider of the Paveway family of weapons and is committed to providing the warfighter with a reliable direct-attack weapon at a cost-effective price."

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide.

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[Deks]

Interesting, perhaps the SADF isn't as completely useless as I'd thought. It certainly spent a fair amount of time as a shadow of their it's self.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:23/07/10

SOURCE:Flight Daily News

FARNBOROUGH: Raytheon Systems eyes export opportunities for Sentinel

By Craig Hoyle

UK company Raytheon Systems Limited is looking to export its Paveway IV precision-guided bomb, Sentinel R1 ground surveillance system and Shadow R1 signals intelligence platform.

The potential deals are among the objectives of Bob Delorge, its newly installed chief executive.

"We are working towards a big announcement" on the 226kg (500lb) Paveway IV, he says, but declines to provide further details of the proposed export deal.

India has previously selected the Sentinel system, but is currently re-assessing its options for the capability, which has been deployed on operations over Afghanistan for the last year by the UK armed forces. Delorge says RSL already has UK government approval to export the technology to New Delhi.

The company is also talking to the UK Ministry of Defence about introducing additional capability to the Royal Air Force's Sentinel R1 aircraft, even though the system will not achieve full operational capability until mid-2011.

The talks could potentially lead to enhancements funded via the urgent operational requirement mechanism, or form part of a planned future Sentinel sustainment programme upgrade, the company says.

Sentinel is used to provide services such as ground vehicle traffic analysis and convoy overwatch in Afghanistan, and is "non-stop out there", says a source at the RAF's 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron. The unit will fly the Sentinel R1 on the first three show days.

Raytheon is meanwhile offering to use its UK company's experience in developing the Royal Air Force's Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350ER-based Shadow R1 SIGINT aircraft to meet the requirements of the US Army.

The service is seeking a similar capability through its extended medium-altitude reconnaissance and surveillance system programme. The Shadow flies with a two-person flight crew and five onboard system operators.

"One of the hot spots going forward is intelligence, and actionable intelligence," Delorge says.

[buglerbilly]

Raytheon Joint Standoff Weapon C-1 Completes Captive Flight Test Series

FARNBOROUGH, England, July 23, 2010 /PRNewswire

The U.S. Navy completed a series of three captive flight tests on Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Joint Standoff Weapon C-1, putting the program closer to achieving initial operating capability in 2012.

JSOW is a family of low-cost, air-to-ground weapons that employs an integrated GPS- inertial navigation system and terminal imaging infrared seeker, guiding the weapon to the target. JSOW C-1 adds moving maritime target capability and the two-way Strike Common Weapon Datalink (SCWDL) to the combat-proven weapon.


"The Raytheon-U.S. Navy team completed a test series that showed JSOW C-1's seeker can detect moving maritime targets. The tests also demonstrated that JSOW C-1 can communicate via its two-way SCWDL," said Phyllis McEnroe, Raytheon's JSOW program director. "The JSOW platform is a 'truck' with many options that continues to evolve to meet emerging threats. Though not a program of record, we are working on a JSOW extended range variant with an objective range of up to 300 nautical miles (345 statute miles)."

JSOW ER completed its first demonstration flight in October 2009, flying more than 260 nautical miles.


"The warfighter asked for a Link-16 network-enabled standoff weapon that can engage moving maritime targets while maintaining the capability to attack stationary land targets," said Cmdr. Douglas Phelan, the U.S. Navy's JSOW Integrated Product Team leader. "JSOW C-1 will meet this requirement."

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide.

Note to Editors:

Raytheon has produced more than 4,000 JSOWs to date, with more than 106 months of continuous on-time delivery. The JSOW-C is currently in production, and Raytheon will continue producing it for international customers.

[buglerbilly]

Raytheon-Boeing team on target during JAGM test

July 26, 2010

Raytheon Company and The Boeing Company completed the first of three government-sponsored firings of the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile. During the successful test, the JAGM used its laser guidance system to hit an 8-by-8-foot target board from a distance of 16 kilometers (10 miles).

The Raytheon-Boeing JAGM features a tri-mode seeker with laser; an uncooled imaging infrared sensor; and millimeter wave guidance. The weapon leverages proven components from other Raytheon and Boeing programs, including the Raytheon GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II and the Boeing Brimstone.

"When Raytheon and Boeing won the JAGM contract Sept. 11, 2008, we committed to demonstrate our affordable and innovative missile design in these prototype tests," said Bob Francois, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems. "We've kept our commitment, which is a credit to both the US government for effectively managing this program and to the Raytheon-Boeing JAGM team for executing as promised. This latest test demonstrates Raytheon's fully integrated tri-mode seeker is an extremely reliable and mature approach."

This marks the third time the Raytheon-Boeing team test-fired the weapon; the team conducted two successful company-funded tests of the weapon in April 2010. During the most recent test, all three guidance systems operated simultaneously and provided telemetry data that enabled engineers to conduct further analysis of the weapon.

"This test demonstrates that the combination of Raytheon's guidance section with Boeing's rocket motor, airframe and warhead gives the warfighter a proven, affordable, reliable and accurate solution," said Carl Avila, director of Boeing Advanced Weapons and Missile Systems.

JAGM, designed to replace three legacy systems, offers the warfighter improved lethality, range, operational flexibility, supportability and cost savings compared with older weapons like the Hellfire missile.

[Deks]

I realise that we've only recently acquired hellfire, but is JAGM something that Australia intends to purchase? It'd be available for a large number of our air platforms.

[buglerbilly]

ALL Users of Hellfire are potentially Users of JAGM, budgets allowing...............this is still a Trials program hence until it is completed and proven no one is going to sign on any dotted line.

[buglerbilly]

Defense Security Cooperation Agency
NEWS RELEASE

On the web: http://www.dsca.mil Media/Public Contact: (703) 601-3859

Transmittal No. 10-32

The Netherlands – GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2010 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress July 26 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to The Netherlands of 603 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs1 (SDB1) and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $44 million.

The Government of the Netherlands has requested a possible sale of 603 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs1 (SDB1), containers, flight test integration, spare and repair parts, support equipment, personnel training and equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $44 million.

This proposed sale contributes to the foreign policy and national security objectives of the U.S. by improving the military capabilities of The Netherlands and enhancing standardization and interoperability with U.S. forces. The sale of this equipment and support will improve The Netherlands’ ability to destroy protected, high-value targets such as command and control nodes and weapons storage facilities. This will be the first sale of this weapon to The Netherlands.

This sale will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor will be The Boeing Corporation in St. Louis, Missouri. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

This program will involve multiple trips to The Netherlands by U.S. Government and contractor representatives for one to two week intervals for approximately three years.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:29/07/10

SOURCE:Flight International

BAE close to launch contract for APKWS rocket

By Craig Hoyle

BAE Systems is poised to receive its first production orders for a new low-cost guided rocket that will equip the US Marine Corps' attack helicopters.

The company expects to secure contracts within days for the first two low-rate initial production lots of its advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS), totalling a combined 925 of the 2.75in (70mm) rounds.

"We've started ordering long-lead items with our own funds," says George Adamakos, BAE's business development manager for soldier and vehicle solutions. Although the LRIP 1 and LRIP 2 orders will total 325 and 600 weapons, respectively, the company is "ordering materials for 2,000".

With more than 1,000 rounds to be produced above the USMC's initial requirements, Adamakos says: "We're ready for international sales, or for the US Army. We've had a lot of interest from people on APKWS."

Test firings using the new weapon have demonstrated an average hit distance of 0.44m (1.4ft) from the laser spot, Adamakos says. The system is due to enter initial operational test and evaluation with the USMC late during the first quarter of next year, and will initially be fielded with its Bell AH-1W Cobra fleet.

Other candidate airframes include the service's Bell AH-1Z and UH-1Y rotorcraft, the US Navy's Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk and potentially even the USMC's Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned aircraft system.

Adamakos says the US Army is in "wait-and-see mode" with regard to its requirement for a new guided rocket. "They want to look at the manufacturing readiness of the bidders," he says, adding: "Development-wise, they know where we are."

[buglerbilly]

U.S. Ducks As Cluster Bomb Ban Takes Effect

By Spencer Ackerman July 29, 2010 | 12:26 pm



Every war must end, instructed the U.S. strategist Fred Ikle. But leftover unexploded ordnance can be a war’s legacy, particularly when small and unstable munitions lay around areas where civilians rebuild their lives after the fighting stops. That’s why a new international ban on cluster munitions will take effect on Saturday. The U.S., however, isn’t part of the accord.

More than 30 countries have ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions — the threshold for it entering into force — and over 100 have signed it since 2008. Holdouts include Russia, Israel and the United States. All three of those countries have used cluster bombs in the past decade: Russia during its conflict with Georgia in 2008 (Georgia also used cluster munitions against Russia); Israel during its conflict with Hezbollah in 2006 (Hezbollah also used cluster munitions against Israel); and the U.S. during the initial phases of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. (Neither the Taliban nor Saddam used cluster bombs against U.S. troops.)

There are a variety of cluster bombs, but they generically work like this: the munitions spray out smaller bombs across a given target, so you can cover a wide area and take out enemy vehicles, weapons, and, of course, fighters with a single, relatively small burst. Some versions, like the Wind Corrected Munition Dispenser, equip the bomblets with tech to control their trajectory, making them more like smart bomblets.

The case against their use is well known: cluster sub-munitions are, in effect, the world’s deadliest duds. The bomblets have a failure rate of up to ten percent by some estimates — and can act as unexploded ordnance, going off in civilian areas after a battle has concluded, similar to landmines. The Cluster Munition Coalition, a group opposed to the weapons, estimates that 60 percent of cluster-bomb casualties are injured “while undertaking their normal activities.”

In 2008, the Pentagon agreed to scale back its use of cluster weapons, pledging not to use any bomb with a failure rate higher than 1 percent after 2018. So why isn’t the U.S. on board with an outright ban?

According to the Pentagon’s 2008 policy, cluster munitions are actually humane weapons. “Because future adversaries will likely use civilian shields for military targets – for example by locating a military target on the roof of an occupied building – use of unitary weapons could result in more civilian casualties and damage than cluster munitions,” the policy claims. “Blanket elimination of cluster munitions is therefore unacceptable due not only to negative military consequences but also due to potential negative consequences for civilians.” In other words, it’s better to use a cluster bomb on enemies using a building than to blow up the entire building.

Cluster opponents don’t buy it. “The vast majority of U.S. allies have banned this weapon,” Thomas Nash, the coordinator of the Cluster Munition Coalition, said in a statement e-mailed to Danger Room. “In line with his rhetoric on multilateralism, Obama needs to bring the U.S. in line with other nations that respect international law and the protection of civilians in armed conflict.”

While the Pentagon argues against ruling out the use of cluster bombs, the military is experimenting with potential replacements. For instance: a warhead that sprays tiny darts called “kinetic energy pellets” at a target. These pellets act like bullets, not explosives, so there isn’t a danger of delayed blast if civilians later come into a pellet-littered area.

Credit: Globalsecurity.org

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/07/u-s-ducks-as-cluster-bomb-ban-takes-effect/#more-28847#ixzz0v84PdJ8O

[JimWH]

The Netherlands – GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2010 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress July 26 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to The Netherlands of 603 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs1 (SDB1) and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $44 million.
That would make the Netherlands the first non-US customer for SDB wouldn't it?
IMHO this is possibly going to be as important a weapon as JDAM in the medium term, and I must admit that I've been somewhat stumped as to why it hasn't been picking export sales. I live in hope that the RAAF and RAF/RN will be investing in SDB for JSF. Certainly not a hugely expensive bit of kit, though somewhat more expensive than I'd have expected.

Edit: I see that Israel is buying them from Boeing, and OTO Melara have a license production line for the Italians. Still, that'll mean a grand total of 3 non-US customers, which I still find bloody odd.

[Deks]

In other words, it’s better to use a cluster bomb on enemies using a building than to blow up the entire building.

Cluster opponents don’t buy it.

I'm sure there are lots of good reasons to use cluster munitions, but taking out enemies that just happen to only be on top of a particular building certainly is stretching the limits.

Reality distortion field in full effect..

[Gubler, A.]

I'm sure there are lots of good reasons to use cluster munitions, but taking out enemies that just happen to only be on top of a particular building certainly is stretching the limits.

Reality distortion field in full effect..

Not quite. In urban warfare cluster bombs can be used like air burst artillery to suppress enemy forces without destroying buildings and their occupants. It’s a legitimate reason. Obviously for use in a larger scale conflict than typical contemporary urban counter insurgency. More ‘Thunder Run’ than ‘Sadr City’.

[buglerbilly]

The Last Tac Missile Competition

By Colin Clark Friday, August 6th, 2010 10:56 am



UPDATED: Lockheed Details Test Results; Raytheon Faring Better So Far

Put $5 billion on the table, factor in shrinking budgets, add the fact that you are competing for what is likely to be the last tactical missile competition for the next quarter of a century and you’ve got one hell of a fight for the Joint Air to Ground Missile (JAGM).

The weapon system that results will replace the Maverick on F/A-18 E/F, as well as the Hellfire and missiles on the Army’s AH-64D Apache attack helicopter, the Army’s Extended Range Multi-Purpose Sky Warrior unmanned aerial system, the Marine’s AH-1Z Super Cobra attack helicopter, and the Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk. On top of that, it may be used for the Joint Strike Fighter program. IOC is scheduled on the AH-64D, AH-1Z and F/A-18E/F for 2016. If all goes as currently planned, the program will produce 33,000 missiles over the next 20 years. For those who follow acquisition closely, this is the successor program to the deeply troubled Joint Common Missile.

On one side of the missile corral stands mighty Lockheed Martin. Facing the largest defense company in America is a team of Raytheon and Boeing. JAGM is a test for the companies, as well as the Pentagon, being the first of two programs set up by former head of acquisition John Young as a test of his prototyping approach: prove to the Pentagon that you can actually build what you say you can build by building a few successful models that can meet some test requirements.

The importance of a success for a significant joint program can’t be overstated. One after another of programs called joint have disappointed, failed or been cancelled. “Joint programs have not enjoyed a great deal of success in the past,” said Mike Riley, head of JAGM business development at Raytheon.

Raytheon paid for two missile test shots in April to see if they were on the right path. On 23 June, they fired the first test shot supervised and scored by the government at White Sands Missile Range. A second shot is coming Aug. 13.

So far, the Raytheon team has scored, well, “perfectly,” according to Riley.

The technical challenges are daunting for both competitors. The rocket motor must be able to operate in temperatures up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and operate without a contrail that might blind a helicopter pilot and, for fixed-wing aircraft; it must remain operational at minus 65 degrees. This is, as they say, rocket science.

One advantage Raytheon boasts is an infrared seeker that does not depend on a cooling system to help it distinguish targets. That should mean substantially less maintenance and weight.

Lockheed has not fared as well in the test shots. Here’s what the company sent in response to questions.


To date, Lockheed Martin has fired 2 of the 3 shots, the SAL and I2R.

The SAL shot was Monday, August 2:

Lockheed Martin’s Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) testing is ongoing, with a highly successful test flight of its semi-active laser (SAL) seeker on August 2 at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The 16-kilometer shot was the first flight test under the JAGM Technology Development contract, testing the three JAGM sensors in the missile’s tri-mode seeker. The JAGM missile scored a direct hit on the target board in the test.

The I2R shot was Tuesday, August 3:

Lockheed Martin conducted a JAGM flight test on August 3 at White Sands Missile Range, NM, against a tank target at 4 km to test the missile’s imaging infrared (I2R) seeker. The missile launched successfully and indications are that the missile initially guided to the target but overshot it. We are analyzing the flight test data to isolate the precise cause of the anomaly. We will then take immediate corrective action so we can proceed to validate the performance of the I2R and subsequently the millimeter wave (MMW) sensors during our next round of testing in September.

Lockheed Martin is confident we will meet the government’s requirement for the three successful test firings with intercepts within the schedule.

Lockheed Martin also conducted two Flight Readiness Checks during the months of June/July:

A government check which was declared a no-test due to a range instrumentation malfunction. (That missile was scheduled to August 2 and produced the successful SAL shot mentioned earlier)

A Lockheed Martin-funded effort which was a no-test due to a pre-launch malfunction.

Lockheed Martin’s JAGM cooled-seeker technology provides superior resolution and performance unmatched by alternative solutions. The open architecture and modular design enable future capabilities to be seamlessly inserted into our JAGM system, and we have an extensive legacy of proven platform integration experience. As the world’s leading provider of precision engagement systems, we look forward to providing this critical capability to the nation’s Warfighters.

Read more: http://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/08/06/the-last-tac-missile-competition/#ixzz0vsITlRX8

[Deks]

I'm not personally too surprised that the Raytheon/Boeing team is doing well considering that the JAGM is loosely based on the hellfire.

LM missing is a bit of a surprise, you'd think by that stage they'd have test-run the scenarios many times.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:09/08/10

SOURCE:Flight International

Raytheon wins SDB II contract over Boeing/Lockheed team

By Stephen Trimble



Raytheon has won a $450 million contract to launch development of the small diameter bomb increment II (SDB II) for the US Air Force and Navy, a competitive triumph over a Boeing/Lockheed Martin team that seemed to be the early favourite for the award.

The award gives Raytheon a key position in the hotly contested market for an all-weather munition that can strike targets on the move. The weapon will be integrated on the US military's most advanced tactical strike aircraft - the Boeing F-15E and Lockheed Martin F-35B and F-35C.

Raytheon says the company is "pleased" by the contract award, but declines further comment until a press conference scheduled next week.

The key technology in the competition to deliver the 113kg (250lb)-class SDB II is a tri-mode seeker, with electro-optical, semi-active laser and millimetre wave radar on board. In bad weather, the weapon could shift terminal guidance from the laser to the radar, allowing the SDB II to strike stationary or moving targets even in bad weather.

Boeing originally won the SDB contract in 2003. The programme was split into two increments after it was revealed that former air force acquisition official Darleen Druyun steered the contract to Boeing as a "gift" in return for future employment.

Shortly afterward, Raytheon entered the competition after the only two previous SDB competitors - Boeing and Lockheed - decided to team up.

The Boeing team planned to offer the SDB Increment 1 body with a tri-mode seeker derived from the terminated Lockheed Joint Common Missile (JCM).

Meanwhile, Raytheon adapted a tri-mode seeker originally developed for the US Army's iPAM precision attack missile programme, which was also subsequently cancelled.

The SDB II contract is awarded as the army enters the last few months of the competition for the joint air to ground missile (JAGM) contract, which replaces JCM. JAGM is a competition between a Raytheon/Boeing team and Lockheed, and also involves a weapon with a tri-mode seeker.

[buglerbilly]

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Will SDB II Draw a Protest?

Posted by Robert Wall at 8/10/2010 2:27 AM CDT

With US Aerospace protesting its exclusion from the KC-X tanker competition, and Sikorsky also asking lawyers at the Government Accountability Office to intervene on a sole source U.S. Navy contract for transport helos, the logical question is whether Boeing/Lockheed Martin will protest the U.S. Air Force decision to award Raytheon the 250-lb.-class Small-Diameter Bomb II development contract?

The $450 million contract is potentially a huge deal. The tri-mode seeker will make the weapon more expensive than a regular SDB, but also more attractive to operators given the ability to attack moving targets also in bad weather.

For Boeing, in particular, the loss is a huge setback given its position as the builder of the Joint Direct Attack Munition and the increment one SDB.

But beyond the protest, there are many other questions still hanging over SDB II. One is whether the program will actual be sustained, given budget pressures.

What is more, it will be a real test case for the Pentagon and its effort to shift back to fixed-price development programs.

Raytheon, for its part, faces a non-trivial schedule. The weapon is to be operational on F-15Es already in 2015. That does not provide a lot of margin for error. The weapon also is to go on the F-35B and F-35C, for starters.

[buglerbilly]

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Bombs Small And Large

Posted by Bill Sweetman at 8/9/2010 6:00 PM CDT

Raytheon just pipped Boeing for a $451 million contract for the Small Diameter Bomb Increment II program, with its GBU-53/B design. It's a disappointment to Boeing, which had hoped to follow on its success with the GBU-39/B SDB I, but a big feather in the cap of Raytheon and (in particular) Taylor Lawrence, the boss of Raytheon Missile Systems, who is interviewed in the latest DTI (page 60).

SDB II will be quite challenging, involving the development and integration of a tri-mode seeker - imaging infrared, semi-active laser and millimeter-wave radar - in a small low-cost weapon. Advances in uncooled IR technology - much cheaper than a cooled system, which requires its own mechanical refrigeration unit - are important, as is an architecture that blends laser guidance with the IR system.

SDB II was originally conceived as a moving-target attack weapon, and in future warfare scenarios would be used against tactical missile launchers and surface-to-air missile systems. The initial platforms will be teh F-15E for the USAF and the F-35B and F-35C for the Marines and Navy.

What SDB II may not be is a close air support weapon. The problem is the wing kit that gives the weapon standoff range: it also means that the SDB can't get to ground level fast enough to deal with rapidly changing tactical situations with troops in contact.

For the Navy, the solution to this problem is the Joint Air to Ground Missile (JAGM), the subject of another competition, in which Raytheon and Boeing are teamed against Lockheed Martin, with a downselect to a single EMD contractor due early next year. (The competitors are 23 months into a 27-month technology demonstration program.) JAGM replaces air-launched TOW missiles, all versions of Hellfire and the Maverick, and will be integrated on the Super Hornet.

JAGM could be a consolation price for Boeing, because the SDB II result may favor the Raytheon-Boeing team. This is because a key technology in JAGM is a low-cost tri-mode seeker and the technology in the Raytheon-Boeing contender is closely based on SDB II.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the bomb scale, Boeing has been awarded a $20 million contract to deliver eight Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) "extended user evaluation assets" comprising warheads, tail kits (I think this is what is meant by "tool kits" in the DoD release) and aircraft adaptors.

[buglerbilly]

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

USAF Debriefs Boeing on SDB II Today

Posted by Amy Butler at 8/10/2010 8:25 AM CDT

Raytheon's win of the nearly half-billion dollar Small Diameter Bomb II could be the end of a long, sordid chapter in U.S. Air Force acquisition. But, we'll have to wait about 10 days to find that out. By then, we'll know if loser Boeing/Lockheed Martin protests the source selection. If there is a protest, a long, 100-day review will commence. It will determine not just the outcome of the protest, but speak to the ability of the Air Force's acquisition corps to run a clean competition.

Raytheon's win is an upset; company officials acknowledged they were the underdogs in this competition. The company took a low-cost approach in a competition that didn't heavily weigh cost. Price was the least important factor. The top two -- weighed equally -- were proposal risk and past performance. Next was missile capability. Also, the Raytheon team had to overcome a problem in the Rockwell Collins datalink for the weapon. The datalink was delayed, and work on it was tabled when the Navy cancelled the Harpoon Block III upgrade, in part due to Rockwell's performance on the datalink.

Raytheon chose an uncooled IR sensor as part of its tri-mode seeker design for SDB II. Boeing/Lockheed Martin officials didn't specify whether their seeker was cooled or uncooled. The seeker designs were driven by the complex requirement of hitting moving targets through weather and dust. But, this could have put Raytheon ahead in terms of missile complexity, development risk and price.

Boeing/Lockheed Martin officials will find out in a debrief scheduled for today why they lost the competition.

It is important to keep in mind the history of this program. SDB II was originally envisioned as an upgrade to Boeing's win on SDB I, the 250-lb. class PGM. After the Darleen Druyun scandal broke in 2002/2003, the GAO found several procurement problems. And, Druyun admitted to unfairly steering contracts to Boeing, including SDB work.

So, the long journey for an SDB II took a major turn and the Air Force established the long dual-source competition, opening the door for Raytheon to win some of the work once thought lost.

It seems Raytheon did just that.

And, here we are ... waiting to see if there is a protest!

If there isn't, it speaks well of USAF's procurement process. If there is, the jury is out until GAO rules. But, you can bet there will be more than a few senior officials at the USAF losing sleep until a ruling comes down.

[buglerbilly]

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Meet the Raytheon GBU 53/B: Pic

Posted by Amy Butler at 8/11/2010 8:24 AM CDT

Ares readers: meet the new SDBII (at least for now, unless there is a protest that overturns the source selection).


Raytheon concept

Note the blunt nose designed to house the tri-mode seeker, including Raytheon's uncooled design. The Rockwell Collins datalink sits on the back end of the weapon. The design was confined to the same basic outer mold lines and weight qualities of the SDB, the 250-lb. PGM made by Boeing so that it can be attached to aircraft using the same equipment. The earlier version lacks the sophisticated guidance system, which is needed to attack moving targets through weather.

This image is about all Raytheon, the winner of the $450 million fixed-price development contract, is releasing for now. Raytheon and its losing rival, a Boeing/Lockheed Martin team, are locked in a contractor's game of chicken. Neither will flinch until a key decision is made by Boeing on whether to protest the source selection, or whether those 10 calendar days they have to protest run out first.

Not surprisingly, Raytheon's press conference on the win is scheduled for Aug. 20, on the 11th day after the contract award.

A Boeing spokesman said the company received its debrief on the loss first thing yesterday (Aug. 17), and is assessing the data. No decision on a protest has been made yet.

[buglerbilly]

No SDB II Protest From Boeing, Company Says

Aug 13, 2010



By Amy Butler abutler@aviationweek.com
Washington

Boeing officials will not protest their loss in the U.S. Air Force competition to design a 250-lb. weapon capable of striking moving targets through weather.

“Boeing does not intend to protest the Small Diameter Bomb II contract award,” says company spokesman Damien Mills. Company officials were debriefed on their loss Aug. 10; the contract announcement took place a day earlier. Boeing had 10 calendar days to file a protest with the Government Accountability Office.

Raytheon’s win of the $450 million contract was an upset. Boeing was teamed with Lockheed Martin, which was providing its tri-mode seeker. Boeing was responsible for system integration for the bid, and the company was building off of its existing design for the SDB being built for fixed targets.

Boeing’s decision not to protest is an endorsement of the Air Force’s acquisition corps, which has been under fire for numerous missteps in recent years. Air Force competitions for tankers and combat rescue helicopters have been overturned or suspended due to mistakes made by procurement officials.

“We appreciate the Air Force’s professionalism, and Boeing will remain a committed partner with the Dept. of Defense by continuing to provide the JDAM and SDB family of products that will protect the lives of American war fighters across the globe,” said Boeing Weapons Vice President Debra Rub.

The service has lately implemented an acquisition improvement plan to add more workers to the procurement ranks and shore up training for its personnel. SDB II is a major award, and a protest would not only have stunted progress in the critical work to field the weapon, it would also have deflated an already beleaguered workforce.

The contract between Raytheon and the Air Force has already been signed; a protest would have prompted a stop-work order. Boeing’s decision not to protest clears the way for progress in the development program. Deliveries of the GBU-53/B will begin in Fiscal 2013.

Credit: Raytheon

[JimWH]

This'll be a project to watch then. If SDB II does what it says on the can, then it'll be a game changer. I can imagine that ove time SDB II would become the weapon of choice for a whole range of missions, and that it could be used in lieu of a great many different bombs.
Now lets wait and see who'll order them.

[buglerbilly]

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Range of Options

Posted by Robert Wall at 8/16/2010 4:08 AM CDT

Do western air forces need to start seriously considering fielding longer-range air-to-air missiles given the growing fighter/missile threat from China?

That is a debate now taking place among military planners which we explore in an Aviation Week & Space Technology article this week (here). Japan is among the countries interested in more air-to-air punch driven by hardware developments in China.

The issue is not straight forward, though, and there are several points to consider. One of them is rules of engagement for use of such a very long-range air-to-air missile.

Another question to ponder, of course, is how the need should be addressed. Finding funding for a new program is going to be a challenge in the current fiscal environment, so military buyers may have to look for means short of developing a brand new missile.

But even when thinking about an incremental approach, for instance an upgrade to the AIM-120 Amraam, the path forward is not clear cut. Is adding a ramjet the way to go, or is there a less risky multi-pulse motor enough of a bridge, at what should be lower cost and lower risk?

Or maybe we should just bring back the Phoenix missile:

[Aussie Digger]

Aren't Ares blog's writers "supposed" to be informed persons, telling US, about new advancements?

AIM-120D, features a 50% range improvement over AIM-120C7, which itself is longer ranged than the R-77. It does this through a new ballistic flight profile, but range is range and the C7 motor keeps a bit in reserve (boost/sustain graining for the propellent) for end game maneuvering, not through a new "dual pulse" motor, despite what they reported earlier. Apparently not knowing the difference between a boost/sustain grained rocket motor and a dual pulse rocket motor, doesn't matter so long as everyone thinks you're an "expert"...

ATK have been funded for a new generation AMRAAM motor, based on the dual pulse principal in October last year. The FIRST time AMRAAM has had a dual pulse motor. Which of course categorically rules out AIM-120D having such a motor, at least at the beginning of it's service. I'm sure AIM-120D will benefit from a product improvement program, just as the earlier generation designs did, but it doesn't have a dual pulse design, today...

[Deks]

Bring back the phoenix to take out a fighter target? Insane. Real world the Pheonix didn't perform that well in general, and whilst I hate saying stuff without references I'd be surprised if it could even hit a fighter that was aware it was coming.

In the end of the day you can hang many more AMRAAM's on fighters than you'd ever be able to do with Phoenix, and the AIM-120D has comparable or longer range in any case. If it were a real requirement for ultra-long range AAMs, I think the more logical step would be to look at air launching SM-6's.

[Tim]

Aren't Ares blog's writers "supposed" to be informed persons, telling US, about new advancements?

AIM-120D, features a 50% range improvement over AIM-120C7, which itself is longer ranged than the R-77. It does this through a new ballistic flight profile, but range is range and the C7 motor keeps a bit in reserve (boost/sustain graining for the propellent) for end game maneuvering, not through a new "dual pulse" motor, despite what they reported earlier. Apparently not knowing the difference between a boost/sustain grained rocket motor and a dual pulse rocket motor, doesn't matter so long as everyone thinks you're an "expert"...

ATK have been funded for a new generation AMRAAM motor, based on the dual pulse principal in October last year. The FIRST time AMRAAM has had a dual pulse motor. Which of course categorically rules out AIM-120D having such a motor, at least at the beginning of it's service. I'm sure AIM-120D will benefit from a product improvement program, just as the earlier generation designs did, but it doesn't have a dual pulse design, today...

Bloody oath - this article seems really redundant in light of the fact that Western air forces quite clearly ARE working on longer range AAMs, or perhaps the writer has never heard of AMRAAM-D, Meteor, or JDRADM? I'd argue that the Indian Astra missile project is also relevant to the author's "point" too, considering they share a border with China...

That he ignores all this in favour of a throwaway line about the Phoenix is just stupid.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:17/08/10

SOURCE:Flight International

VIDEO: Raytheon/Boeing show JAGM direct hit

By Stephen Trimble

A Raytheon/Boeing team has released the first video showing a live firing of their proposed replacement for the AGM-114 Hellfire and AGM-65 Maverick missiles.

The 23 June test shot by the Raytheon/Boeing team is one of the final steps in the bidding process for the joint air to ground missile (JAGM) contract, which the army intends to award around December or January. The army also is evaluating a JAGM bid from Lockheed Martin.

The video shows the unarmed missile striking a 2.4 x 2.4m (8 x 8ft) target board from a distance of 16km - the required range for a JAGM launched by a helicopter.

The video also shows how the missile veers steeply upward after being fired from a launcher. The test requires the guided test vehicle to lock-on to the target with a tri-mode seeker after reaching maximum altitude. Each JAGM has a sensor package that includes uncooled imaging infrared, semi-active laser and millimetre-wave radar.

The JAGM also includes a long-range rocket motor that doubles the roughly 8km firing distance of the AGM-114. To replace the AGM-65 on fixed wing aircraft, the JAGM is required to hit targets up to 28km away.

Both the army and US Marine Corps intend to buy thousands of JAGMs to replenish Hellfire and Maverick inventories with a single munition.

Raytheon provides the tri-mode seeker for its JAGM team, while Boeing provides the missile body.

The video was approved for release only a week after Raytheon beat a Boeing/Lockheed Martin team to win a US Air Force contract to develop the GBU-53/B small diameter bomb (SDB) increment II, a 113kg (250lb)-class weapon that also features a tri-mode seeker.



This is a company video showing various engagement options JAGM provides.............

[Deks]

Good promo, I'm surprised they didn't include UAV's, though I suppose you're not going to get the advantages out of a platform that can only carry a couple of missiles.

[buglerbilly]

Good promo, I'm surprised they didn't include UAV's, though I suppose you're not going to get the advantages out of a platform that can only carry a couple of missiles.

There you go dear, just for you JAGM on a UAV.............

[Deks]

haha nice, thanks!

It's excellent that they're going to get dual-carriage per pylon with JAGM, and the off-axis targeting makes loads of sense in that context as well. :)

[Aussie Digger]

I hope RAAF picks up JAGM eventually. It has always bothered me that they've only ever acquired free fall bombs for our airborne air to surface capability, whether guided or no...

I know they are acquiring JASSM and JSOW now, but I truly wonder why the "top end" of capability is always deemed so important by ADF? The air-launched weapons more likely to be used are lower scale CAS type munitions... RAAF has never seemed interested in Maverick AGM's for instance, when it is the virtual standard in air to surface munitions amongst the majority of "Western" nations. Even NZ operates them fer crying out loud...

[Deks]

I'd say it's more than likely we will, and almost a certainty if we end up taking the MH-60Rs as they will be the standard kit. I completely agree with your sentiment regarding the AGM-65's, never made much sense to me either.

I hope noone will make the argument that we don't need JAGM as the navy can share the Army's Hellfires, but that woudn't surprise me. (Assuming MH-60R wins, which I think is likely)

[buglerbilly]

The successful LockMart JAGM launch..........

[buglerbilly]

Small guided missile can be deployed in attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles

Raytheon's new Griffin fit for drone

David Wichner Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Sunday, August 22, 2010 12:00 am


U.S. ARMY PHOTOS
The Griffin is 3 1/2 feet long, with a 13-pound warhead. .

Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems is quietly vying for a key role in America's remote-control war on insurgents and terrorists.

Raytheon has developed a small guided missile called the Griffin for the U.S. military for use on weapon platforms including unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs.

It's unclear whether the Griffin has been used yet in the recently stepped-up campaign of U.S. military drone attacks on insurgent targets in Afghanistan, or the controversial UAV attacks in Pakistan widely attributed to the CIA.

Raytheon declined to comment on the Griffin, citing restrictions imposed by the military. The company plans to discuss the program this week at a UAV conference in Denver.

But Army officials have publicly discussed some details and confirmed unclassified information about the program.

Raytheon's Griffin is being developed along with other small guided munitions to be carried on UAVs such as the Predator and the Army's smaller Hunter UAV, Major Gen. James R. Myles, commanding general of the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, said in a presentation to an Army advocacy group.

Since May 2008, Raytheon has won more than $40 million in Army contracts for Griffin munitions, according to Pentagon contracts data.

The Griffin is being developed as a complement to the Viper Strike, a small, unpowered guided munition made by Northrop Grumman Corp. for use on UAVs including the Predator and Northrop Grumman's Hunter drone, said an Army spokesman who confirmed and clarified Myles' remarks.

The Viper Strike and Griffin systems should not be considered competing technologies, said Dan O'Boyle, a spokesman for Army Aviation and Missile Command.

"Both munitions have separate and very distinct capabilities that are complementary to one another," he said in an e-mail to the Star.

Myles said in his remarks that the Army was considering putting the Griffin on the Hunter UAV, possibly sometime this year.

In clarifying comments, the Army spokesman said there have been "preliminary discussions" about putting lighter-weight munitions on current Army UAVs, to increase the number of weapons that the craft can carry and to increase "loiter time" - time spent circling an area - by reducing payload weight.

Other Army documents note that Raytheon invested its own funds for much of the Griffin development work, reusing proven components from existing weapon systems.

The system, which can be adapted to a variety of ground and air vehicles, was highly successful in testing and was in low-rate initial production as of mid-2009, according to Army documents.

The Griffin's maneuverability and accuracy reduce the risk of "collateral damage" - civilian casualties and damage, the Army says.

About 3 1/2 feet long and 35 pounds, the satellite- and laser-guided Griffin packs a 13-pound warhead.

The 3-foot long, 44-pound Viper Strike carries a warhead weighing just 2.3 pounds.

By comparison, the Hellfire missile fired by Predator UAVs weighs about 100 pounds, including a warhead weighing about 20 pounds.

The ability to use precision guided munitions to deliver smaller warheads is sought to limit collateral damage - both physical and political.

President Obama has continued an escalation of UAV attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan that started with President George W. Bush in June 2008, said Bill Roggio, editor of The Long War Journal, which tracks UAV strikes daily as part of its online reporting on the war on terrorism.

The U.S. military offers little information on such strikes, and the CIA has not formally acknowledged its involvement in Pakistan, said Roggio.

The New America Foundation, a nonprofit centrist think tank, has counted 147 reported drone strikes in northwest Pakistan since mid-2004, including 51 in 2010. Roggio reports similar totals.

Estimates of the number of people killed in those attacks vary widely - from 1,047 to 1,592 - as do the ratio of civilians killed, the group notes.

Based on its analysis, the New America Foundation estimates that a third of the fatalities were "non-militant." Roggio said his count is about half of New America's.

Whatever the number, the attacks have prompted a backlash in Pakistan and elsewhere in the world community, prompting military planners to search for smaller weapons to limit civilian casualties.

"This is a political war; it's a war of perception," said Anthony Cordesman, Arleigh Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

"When you can start producing a lower ratio of collateral damage, that's how you win this kind of war."

P.W. Singer, senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, said the move to smaller munitions has been enabled by technological advances and driven by the need to limit the collateral damage.

"The nature of the targets has changed," said Singer, author of "Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century."

"The Hellfire missile was designed to go after Soviet tanks. It's a little bit big for using against a single insurgent leader in Fallujah," Singer said.

Other small guided munitions still under development for use with UAVs include Lockheed Martin's Scorpion, an unpowered, precision-guided munition that is 21 inches long and weighs less than 35 pounds.

Did you know

Raytheon Missile Systems is Southern Arizona's largest employer, with more than 12,000 local full-time-equivalent employees at the end of 2009, according to the Star 200 survey of the region's major employers.

Contact Assistant Business Editor David Wichner at dwichner@azstarnet.com or 573-4181.

[buglerbilly]

Raytheon May 'Adjust' SDB Development to Match JSF Schedule

By JOHN REED

Published: 24 Aug 2010 16:34

Raytheon officials announced that the company may adjust development of its Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) II to accommodate for slips in the testing of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

There will probably need to be "an adjustment to the baseline" schedule for the fielding of the new precision strike bomb in order to stay in synch with the JSF's recently altered development schedule, said Tom White, Raytheon's SDB II program director, on Aug. 24. He did not elaborate how much tweaking will be done to the bomb's schedule.

Right now, the weapon is slated to enter low-rate initial production in 2013 with an expected initial operational capability (IOC) on U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F-35s in 2018, according to the company. The weapon is slated to be ready for IOC on the Air Force's F-15E Strike Eagles by 2017.

The F-35 program was revamped this spring following Defense Department estimates predicting massive cost overruns and testing delays in the program.

The restructuring resulted in the U.S. Air Force and Navy delaying their initial operation dates for the airplane by two and three years, respectively, to 2016. The Marines are still on track to achieve IOC in 2012. F-35-maker Lockheed Martin is going all out to accelerate testing on the jet in order to make up for the delays that were predicted in several reports by the Pentagon's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office.

Raytheon was awarded a $450 million engineering and manufacturing contract for the weapon on Aug. 9, beating out original SDB manufacturer Boeing. The Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon expects eventually to supply the Air Force with roughly 12,000 of the weapons and another 5,000 to the Navy and Marines under a follow-on contract totaling about $2 billion.

[buglerbilly]

Small Diameter Bomb II - GBU-53/B



The U.S. Air Force has awarded the Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) US$450 million for the development and production of GBU-53/B for the Small Diameter Bomb increment II program. SDB II is the next generation of the lightweight, aerial precision-strike standoff weapon designed with integral capability to accurately strike moving and fixed targets in adverse weather conditions.

Raytheon has developed an all-new, streamlined bomb casing and folding swept-wing for the new weapon, departing from the MBDA designed ‘Diamond Back’ configuration used by the Boeing designed first generation SDB. Raytheon will begin producing the new weapons in 2013 with initial deliveries completing the first production lot by late 2014.


One of the key featutures of the GBU-53/B is that it is designed to maximize the loadout on fourth and fifth generation fighter aircraft. BLU-61/A suspension equipment enables the F-15E fighter aircraft to carry seven groups of four GBU-53/Bs for a total of 28 weapons.

The GBU-53/B incorporates an three-modal seeker featuring millimeter-wave radar, a semi-active laser (SAL) and an uncooled imaging infrared. The use of an uncooled thermal imager is a unique implementation of such sensor in aerial weapons, demonstrating the maturity and high resolution achieved with bolometric technology.

“Our uncooled IIR seeker met all the warfighter’s requirements and reduced the weapon’s total life-cycle cost and logistics footprint” said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems president. The tri-modal terminal seeker is a derivative from the seeker systems used in the 120mm Medium Range Munition for the M-1A2 tank and the cancelled XM-501 Precision Attack Missile. For the warhead, Raytheon opted for the new developped 'multi effect warhead'. Originally, Raytheon adapted the warhead used in the SDB Increment I weapon, but in parralel, decided to develop another warhead optimized for the services' requirements. "This new warhead used a plasma jet [created by the shaped charge] to penetrate armor, it could stop a tank and in many cases also destroy it. We also improved blast-fragmentation effects by scoring the case design. It was so effective, Air Force engineers dubbed it 'the shredder.'" said Harry Schulte, Vice President, Air Warfare Systems at Raytheon blogging on Aviation Week. "By changing the weapon’s length, our design team had the opportunity to repackage the seeker electronics in a way that improved affordability and producibility, while providing a clear path for the plasma jet." Schulte added.

The selection followed a successful technical demonstration program, during which the company tested and verified that its form factored tri-mode seeker could seamlessly transition between modes. The GBU/53-B seeker proved its reliability during flight testing when it flew 26 missions in 21 days without a single hardware failure. Test flights during the risk reduction phase included seperation, subsystems deployment and operation, autopilot functions and navigation. Fit checks were also conducted at Langley AFB, on the F-22 Raptor, verifying that the Raptor can carry eight weapons in its internal weapons bay, along with two AMRAAM missiles. All versions of the F-35 will also be able to carry eight GBU-53/Bs and two AMRAAMS in the internal weapons bay. Fitting the weapon into these internal bays was not easy, said Schulte. "we needed to shorten the weapon’s length in order to meet the government requirements to carry eight weapons in the Marine Corp’s Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. Without reducing the weapon's length, the F-35B would be limited to six internal weapons, instead of the desired eight weapons.


The multi-effect warhead went through more than 80 live testsdemonstrating its capability to meet the warfighter's requirements with minimal risk of collateral damage. The multi-effect warhead packs a shaped charge, blast and fragmentation effects, defeating armored targets, structures as well as unarmored targets.

[buglerbilly]

DATE:26/08/10

SOURCE:Flight Daily News

AUVSI: Raytheon designing UAV-specific weapons

By Gayle Putrich

Huge growth area this and MBDA is active in this as well.............

Putting weapons on UAVs "is a fait accompli," says Raytheon's Robert Francois, vice president of advanced missile systems and unmanned systems.

With several unmanned systems already armed and militaries seeking to ultimately arm many more, he says Raytheon is positioning itself to fill in the gaps in the market by designing weapons with UAVs in mind.

The company is focusing on weapons for the Tier III, Tier II and small tactical aircraft with three new munitions, Francios says.

The Small Tactical Munition is about 10cm (4 inches) in diameter, 61cm long and weighs in at 5.9kg (13lbs) with GPS/inertial navigational system (INS) and a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker for targeting personnel and light vehicles.

The 15kg Griffin is a short-range, air-to-surface missile is tube launched, also featuring GPS/INS and SAL guidance and is smaller and lighter than the Hellfire.

Filling in the 45kg gap is Monsoon, for targeting buildings, trucks and personnel, with GPS/INS, optional SAL and an 18kg warhead.

Though the aircraft may be unmanned, Francois believes a man will stay in the loop when it comes to matters of weaponzation. "For the major target set, I think there will always be a man in the loop approving weapons release," he says.

[buglerbilly]

DOD Liability Capped At $470M For SDB II

Aug 26, 2010

By Amy Butler

The $450-million fixed-price contract won this month by Raytheon to develop and build the Small-Diameter Bomb (SDB) II for the U.S. Air Force could be a model for future deals in a fiscally constrained Pentagon.

The SDB II has been “one of the most heavily reviewed programs” since Congress passed the Weapon Systems Reform Act, and strict adherence to its principles gave the service confidence in moving forward with what some may consider an unconventional approach to developing a highly sophisticated weapon, according to Col. Brian Buell, Air Force SDB II program manager.

The 250-lb. GBU-53/B will employ a tri-mode seeker — millimeter-wave radar, uncooled imaging infrared and semi-active laser — to classify and destroy moving targets through weather or dust from 40 nm. out. Raytheon won over a Boeing/Lockheed Martin team, which opted not to protest its loss. Boeing officials declined to comment on why they lost the competition (Aerospace DAILY, Aug. 10 and 16).

The development contract is fixed price, incentive fee, and the target profit for the Raytheon team is 15%, Buell says. If there is a cost overrun in development, the government will pick up 75% of the overage. But the government’s liability is capped at $470 million for the entire development effort, says Tom White, SDB II program manager for Raytheon.

Any overages above that are the responsibility of Raytheon and its team. For low-rate initial production (LRIP), which begins with the first lot in 2013, the government’s liability for overruns goes down to 70%. This is for Lots 1-3, he says.

Whereas the government will pay its share of development overages up to 130% of the anticipated development cost, that decreases to 127% in Lots 1-3 of LRIP. White says Raytheon has already established fixed-price contracts with its suppliers for 90% of the materials needed to build the weapon. And, some margin is included in the pricing to allow for failures in flight test, which will require 250 weapons.

The use of this type of fixed-price development contract could become more widespread. Pentagon acquisition czar Ashton Carter says he hopes to use this vehicle to reduce risk for the government of major overruns.

LRIPs 1-4 will include a buy of 1,300 units, with LRIP-1 starting at 144 weapons and ramping up to 550 in Lot 4. The target profit for the early production phase is about 12%. The first full-rate production lot will include a buy of 1,050 SDB IIs.

The Pentagon expects to spend between $62,000 and $81,000 per round in base year 2005 dollars, White says. This figure is an average cost across the entire buy.

The first guided test shot designed to destroy a target will take place in late 2011, White says. The F-15E and F-35B/C fighters are slated for integration of the SDB II. The government is not, however, expecting to lose the leverage over the contractor offered by the fixed-price arrangement if renegotiations are required to accommodate any possible slips in F-35 development, Buell says. “Any time we would make an adjustment, we are bound to keep the contractor in the same relative position with respect to the changes we need to incorporate.”

The total U.S. buy of SDB II is anticipated to be 17,000 weapons, 5,000 for the Navy and the remainder for the Air Force. There is international interest, but no formal requests have yet been made for purchasing the system.

[buglerbilly]

A bit more on Griffin.......interesting that it has both an aft-eject and forward-firing ability versions.....

AUVSI: Raytheon offers up Griffin for UAS

August 26, 2010

Raytheon is in early talks with the US Army, Navy and Air Force to integrate its Griffin lightweight, precision kinetic effects munition onto a variety of UAS, company officials have told Unmanned Vehicles.

Speaking to UV at AUVSI on 26 August, Raytheon business development senior manager for air warfare systems, Everett Tackett, said 'conversations' had taken place with a variety of users regarding compatibility. However, he stressed that no test flights had yet taken place.

'We have had conversations regarding fit checks and looked at interfaces,' Tackett said while referring to discussions with the army for its Grey Eagle UAS and navy for the Fire Scout UAS. Additionally, he said Griffin would be suitable for any 'group two' tactical UASs or larger and hinted at a possible demonstration in 2011.

Griffin was originally designed for the US Special Operations Command and has been launched from the MC-130W 'Dragon Spear' gunship, although Tackett was unable to comment on whether this capability had been used on active deployment.

A 33 lb munition measuring 43 inches in length, the Griffin Block II B Missile comprises less than half the weight of a Hellfire round and includes a 13 lb warhead. It has a 15 km range when air-launched, which is reduced to around 5.5 km when ground-launched, Tackett added. To date, it has also been fired from the US Army Remote Weapon Station, multi-round Wedge launcher and Kiowa Warrior and Smart Launcher manned helicopters.

Designed as an air and ground launched, low-collateral damage weapon for 'irregular warfare operations', Griffin Block II comprises semi-active laser seeker, fuze, warhead, motor and control actuator system. It relies on either GPS coordinates, inertial navigation or laser designation and an operator is able to switch between height-of-burst, point detonation and delayed fuzes in 'seconds' before firing. A multiple-round-simultaneous-impact capability is also available.

The 'A' round is designed as an aft-eject missile, designed for integration on aircraft and the 'B' round as a forward-firing missile which can be fired from unmanned, rotary-wing and ground platforms.

A Raytheon spokesman: 'Griffin has successfully engaged moving vehicle targets in several demonstrations.'

By Andrew White, Denver

[buglerbilly]

Raytheon Scores Second JAGM Success

By Colin Clark Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 5:51 pm



Raytheon and Boeing took a step closer last week to qualifying their prototype Joint Air to Ground Missile for the next acquisition milestone in the $5 billion program with what company officials say was a visually spectacular test.

The missile, which had no explosive warhead, struck a working T-72 tank after a 4-kilometer flight and destroyed the tank, driving it half a foot across the ground, sending a several hundred pound road wheel flying through the air and leaving White Sands Missile Range with nothing much left to shoot at, said Mike Riley, Raytheon business development manager for JAGM. (Pictures and video coming soon, we hope.) As long as the propellant did not explode that is all to the good. The propellant is not supposed to be volatile enough to explode, an important consideration for the Navy as it packs missiles belowdecks.

The successful test leaves the Raytheon team with two of three successful tests needed under the framework set up by former Pentagon acquisition czar John Young. The company has fired the missile four times, twice on the company dime. The final test, company officials said, will occur very soon. The prototyping deadline is mid-September. They are competing against Lockheed, which has not fared as well in the testing contest so far. Lockheed’s first test went well. The second test missed the target by roughly 500 yards.

Lockheed says they now know what caused the missile in the second government test to miss the target. As often happens with high-tech weapon systems it was a simple part that failed. “You’re going to think this is silly, but it’s a mechanical bracket that holds one of the rocket motors. It wasn’t a design issue. We are confident the design is sound,” Frank St. John, head of Lockheed’s JAGM’s effort.

Time is tight for Lockheed. The three government tests must be finished by Sept. 11, 24 months after the contract for this phase was awarded. St. John says they’ve got a range slot at White Sands on Sept. 10 for the third government supervised test, which will require them to use the missile’s radar sensor prior to launch to capture the target. The next day, St. John says Lockheed will pay for what will essentially be a make-up test to compensate for the failed second test. Lockheed will pay for that test. And the company may do more test shots after that date as long as it pays for them. Data for any test after the Sept. 11 deadline that is paid for by Lockheed or Raytheon may be submitted to the government for consideration in the program’s next phase.

Read more: http://www.dodbuzz.com/2010/09/01/raytheon-scores-second-jagm-success/#ixzz0yKUACoVh