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Raytheon demos JSOW against cave targets
A Super Hornet test aircraft carries a JSOW glide weapon on its inboard stores pylon. Raytheon recently demonstrated the weapon's ability to engage cave targets. Source: Raytheon
Raytheon has successfully demonstrated its AGM-154C-1 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) glide weapon against cave targets, a company official told IHS Jane's on 21 May.
Speaking at the ILA Airshow in Berlin, Jim 'Longo' Long, business development manager said that the demonstration, which was carried out at the behest of the US Navy (USN) opens up yet another target set for the 1,000 lb class, medium-range, air-to-surface, precision-guided weapon.
"We have already shown how the JSOW can engage land-based and moving maritime targets, and now we are going after cave targets," he said.
According to Long, this demonstration that saw two JSOWs dropped from a pair of Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets at an altitude of 25,000 ft, was especially complex as caves are more difficult to attack than other targets.
"The mission planning is much more difficult," he said. "Whereas with most targets you have the 'lat and longs' already worked out, a cave is usually hidden away on the side of a hill or mountain, and so you need a munition that can fly through terrain and glide into the target. If you don't [penetrate] the cave, you may make some noise that will startle the bad guys inside, but you need to be precise if you're going to destroy the target."
While Long said that some upgrades were needed in order for the JSOW to fulfil this mission set, he declined to divulge details. He also declined to say if missiles already delivered will need to be retrofitted with the improvements.
The GPS/INS and terminal imaging infrared-guided JSOW is available in four different variants - JSOW-A, JSOW-A1, JSOW-C, and JSOW-C1 - and about 3,500 missiles have been delivered to the USN since 1998, with more than 400 used in combat. Long added that future capability enhancements are possible, but that these will depend on customer requirements,
As well as the JSOW test milestone, Long noted that Raytheon has just delivered its 1,000th ADM-160 Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD) to the US Air Force (USAF). Now manufactured in just its ADM-160C MALD-Jammer (MALD-J) configuration, the MALD decoy is currently in its Lot 5 of production, with the split between MALD and MALD-J units delivered to date being about 50:50.
The MALD-J has an operational range of about 900 km after launch and is designed to mimic the flight profiles and signatures of USAF and allied combat aircraft to act as either a decoy or jammer. So far the system has been integrated on the USAF's Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress aircraft, although it can be launched from any aircraft that can carry the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).
As Long noted, the 1,000 deliveries have occurred over a period when integrated air defence systems (IADS) have not been an issue in theatres such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya. However, as the United States pivots towards the Asia-Pacific region, and as events between Russia and Ukraine are demonstrating, decoys such as MALD/MALD-J are going to become ever more important.
"Anti-IADS have been on the back-burner for a lot of countries over the last 12 or so years, but now they are being looked at more closely," Long said. This renewed interest comes at a time when Raytheon has been cleared to market MALD-J to international operators, meaning that overall production could run well in excess of the 3,000 units contracted to the USAF.
Separately, Raytheon used the ILA Airshow to mark the completion of the initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) phase of the Excalibur 1b 155 mm guided artillery round. According to the company, artillerymen from the US Army's 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery fired a number of shells, scoring several hits and averaging a less than 2 m miss distance. The completion of IOT&E marks a major milestone on the road to full-rate production.
A Super Hornet test aircraft carries a JSOW glide weapon on its inboard stores pylon. Raytheon recently demonstrated the weapon's ability to engage cave targets. Source: Raytheon
Raytheon has successfully demonstrated its AGM-154C-1 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) glide weapon against cave targets, a company official told IHS Jane's on 21 May.
Speaking at the ILA Airshow in Berlin, Jim 'Longo' Long, business development manager said that the demonstration, which was carried out at the behest of the US Navy (USN) opens up yet another target set for the 1,000 lb class, medium-range, air-to-surface, precision-guided weapon.
"We have already shown how the JSOW can engage land-based and moving maritime targets, and now we are going after cave targets," he said.
According to Long, this demonstration that saw two JSOWs dropped from a pair of Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets at an altitude of 25,000 ft, was especially complex as caves are more difficult to attack than other targets.
"The mission planning is much more difficult," he said. "Whereas with most targets you have the 'lat and longs' already worked out, a cave is usually hidden away on the side of a hill or mountain, and so you need a munition that can fly through terrain and glide into the target. If you don't [penetrate] the cave, you may make some noise that will startle the bad guys inside, but you need to be precise if you're going to destroy the target."
While Long said that some upgrades were needed in order for the JSOW to fulfil this mission set, he declined to divulge details. He also declined to say if missiles already delivered will need to be retrofitted with the improvements.
The GPS/INS and terminal imaging infrared-guided JSOW is available in four different variants - JSOW-A, JSOW-A1, JSOW-C, and JSOW-C1 - and about 3,500 missiles have been delivered to the USN since 1998, with more than 400 used in combat. Long added that future capability enhancements are possible, but that these will depend on customer requirements,
As well as the JSOW test milestone, Long noted that Raytheon has just delivered its 1,000th ADM-160 Miniature Air-Launched Decoy (MALD) to the US Air Force (USAF). Now manufactured in just its ADM-160C MALD-Jammer (MALD-J) configuration, the MALD decoy is currently in its Lot 5 of production, with the split between MALD and MALD-J units delivered to date being about 50:50.
The MALD-J has an operational range of about 900 km after launch and is designed to mimic the flight profiles and signatures of USAF and allied combat aircraft to act as either a decoy or jammer. So far the system has been integrated on the USAF's Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress aircraft, although it can be launched from any aircraft that can carry the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).
As Long noted, the 1,000 deliveries have occurred over a period when integrated air defence systems (IADS) have not been an issue in theatres such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya. However, as the United States pivots towards the Asia-Pacific region, and as events between Russia and Ukraine are demonstrating, decoys such as MALD/MALD-J are going to become ever more important.
"Anti-IADS have been on the back-burner for a lot of countries over the last 12 or so years, but now they are being looked at more closely," Long said. This renewed interest comes at a time when Raytheon has been cleared to market MALD-J to international operators, meaning that overall production could run well in excess of the 3,000 units contracted to the USAF.
Separately, Raytheon used the ILA Airshow to mark the completion of the initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) phase of the Excalibur 1b 155 mm guided artillery round. According to the company, artillerymen from the US Army's 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery fired a number of shells, scoring several hits and averaging a less than 2 m miss distance. The completion of IOT&E marks a major milestone on the road to full-rate production.
