Raytheon unveils extended range AMRAAM-ER

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Raytheon unveils extended range AMRAAM-ER, NASAMS launcher will provide robust ground based air defense
Raytheon unveils extended range AMRAAM -- ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

AMRAAM NASAMS Launcher
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has begun development on an extended range variant of the combat-proven Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM®). Designed specifically for ground-based air defense, AMRAAM-ER will enable intercepts at longer range and higher altitudes.

"With AMRAAM-ER, Raytheon is rewriting the book on ground-based air defense. The new missile will be even faster and more maneuverable than the current AMRAAM," said Mike Jarrett, Raytheon vice president of Air Warfare Systems. "By leveraging many existing AMRAAM components, Raytheon can deliver AMRAAM-ER quickly and affordably with very low risk."

Raytheon will integrate AMRAAM-ER into the NASAMS launcher.

NASAMS is the latest and most modern Medium Range Air Defense system. In partnership with KONGSBERG, Raytheon has delivered more than 70 fire units to seven countries. It is the most commonly used Short and Medium Range Air Defense System in NATO.

"Combined with the NASAMS launcher, AMRAAM-ER will provide a new level of protection to customers," said Ralph Acaba, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business. "NASAMS is one of the most easily manned, trained, and maintained systems in the world."

Fielded in Norway for more than a decade, NASAMS is operationally deployed in the U.S. National Capital Region, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, and an undisclosed country. It is also in production for Oman under a contract received last year.

Raytheon plans to flight test AMRAAM-ER before the end of the year.

About AMRAAM
AMRAAM® is a combat-proven missile that demonstrates operational flexibility in both air-to-air and surface-launch scenarios and provides today's military forces with enhanced operational capability, cost effectiveness and future growth options/solutions. Procured by 36 countries, the combat-proven AMRAAM® has been integrated on the F-15, F-16, F/A-18, F-22, Typhoon, Gripen, Tornado, Harrier, F-4 and the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. It is also the baseline missile for the NATO-approved National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System.

 

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About NASAMS
NASAMS is a highly adaptable medium range solution for any operational air defense requirement. The system provides the air defender with a tailorable, state-of-the-art defense system that can maximize their ability to quickly identify, engage and destroy current and evolving enemy aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicle or emerging cruise missile threats.

 

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what its range and will it have AESA equipped active radar seeker head or IR or a multi seeker type head

 

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Norway fires first ground-based Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile from NASAMS launcher
Test validates ESSM's role in medium-range, ground-based air defense
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Norwegian Air Force successfully fired aRaytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile from a National Advanced Surface-to-Air-Missile System (NASAMS). During the first-of-its-kind test at theAndoya Rocket Range in Northern Norway, the ESSM intercepted and destroyed an air target.
Raytheon Company : Investor Relations : News Release
"Completion of this live-fire exercise is a major step forward in our efforts to qualify ESSM as a ground-based air defense solution," said Rick Nelson, Raytheon Missile Systems' vice president of Naval Weapon Systems. "We will continue our engineering efforts to fully integrate ESSM into NASAMS and other land-based launch systems."

In addition to the launcher, the risk-reduction firing event used the NASAMS Fire Distribution Center (FDC) and the Hawk air defense system's High-Power Illuminator radar that served as the semi-active illumination source.

"Raytheon and our Norwegian partner KONGSBERG are expanding the flexibility and capability of our NASAMS, Hawk and Hawk XXI systems," said Tim Glaeser, vice president of Business Development and Strategy for Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business. "Our Hawk customers may have the option in the future to implement ESSM with modifications to the system. NASAMS system users will also benefit from having ESSM as an additional effector."

Joining AMRAAM and AIM-9X, ESSM is the third Raytheonmissile to be successfully fired from the NASAMS launcher. ESSM adds another capability to Raytheon's growing portfolio of ground-based air defense solutions.

About NASAMS Raytheon's NASAMS, in partnership with KONGSBERG, is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system. This operationally proven system provides the air defender with a tailorable, state-of-the-art system that can defeat current and evolving cruise missile threats and a wide range of air breathing threats.

About ESSM With 18 industrial partners representing 10 nations, ESSM is the world's premier international cooperative missile production program. ESSM is a key component ofRaytheon's portfolio of products that provide a global layered defense capability to meet the needs of diverse platforms, combat system design and theaters of operation.