DrSomnath999
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Laser guided Hammer air-to-ground weapon system qualified against moving targets at sea, on land
Laser guided AASM Hammer air-to-ground weapon system qualified against moving targets at sea, on land
On December 12, 2012, French defense procurement agency DGA successfully carried out the last qualification firing test of the AASM modular air-to-ground missile developed and produced by Sagem (Safran), in its laser terminal guidance version (NATO designation: SBU-54 Hammer). This third and final test qualifies the laser guided version of AASM weapon system and provides the French Navy and Air Force with a new stand off anti-ship capability.
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The December 12th test took place on the DGA missile tests site of Biscarrosse. The target was an all-terrain vehicle. Remotely piloted, it was illuminated by the aircraft's Damocles pod during the final seconds of the AASM's flight. The vehicle was traveling at different speed, reaching 50 km/h at the time of impact, when it was more than 15 km from the Rafale. The weapon was launched from the aircraft at an extreme off-axis angle of 90° and hit the target at an oblique angle.
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For Harmattan operation, French side of NATO's Unified Protector operation in Libya as part of the UN's 1973 resolution, the French Air Force and Navy carried out 225 launches of AASM Hammer missiles from Rafale fighters (Defense Committee of the French National Assembly, report of October 4, 2011 testimony of the Ministry of Defense), using the INS / GPS and INS / GPS / Infrared guidance versions.
Laser guided AASM Hammer air-to-ground weapon system qualified against moving targets at sea, on land