AGM-158C LRASM

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AGM-158C LRASM

Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) launches from an Air Force B-1B Lancer.jpg

General Information
Type Anti-ship missile
Local name AGM-158C LRASM
Country of origin United StatesUnited States United States
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin
development 2009
Commissioning 2018
Working time in action
Technical specifications
length 4.27 m (without booster)
Combat weight 1134 kg (without booster)
1996 kg (with booster)
span 2400 mm
Drive
First stage
Second stage
Turbofan solid fuel booster
speed Mach 0.9
Range 926 km (500 nm )
Furnishing
steering GPS , INS , 2-way data link
Target location passive radar target search, imaging infrared - seeker head with image processing
Warhead 450 kg highly explosive armor piercing with fire effect
Detonator programmable detonator
Weapon platforms Mk 41 VLS , B-1B , F / A-18E / F
Lists on the subject
Impact hole of the LRASM

The AGM-158C LRASM (long range anti-ship missile) is currently under development anti-ship missiles with a long range of the US Navy . The LRASM is to replace the Harpoon , which has been in service since 1976 . Like these, the LRASM will also be able to be launched from fighter planes or ships. In contrast to the Harpoon, the LRASM, like the TASM, can be fired from a vertical launch system for missiles . After the Tomahawk Anti Ship Missile (TASM), which was converted into land target variants in 1990, the US Navy should now have a modern anti-ship missile again. The main differences to the TASM are the greater range and autonomy, and the stealth properties .

technology

An LRASM in the NAS hangar in Patuxent River

In order to overcome the limitations of current American anti-ship weapons and to obtain an operational weapon as quickly as possible, the LRASM is largely based on the JASSM-ER (88% of the parts are identical). In addition to the stealth flight cell, the weapon data link , the interference-resistant GPS system and the imaging infrared seeker head are also adopted . In addition, a passive radar seeker and a new radar altimeter have been integrated in order to be able to fly deeper above the sea surface and to be able to locate targets at great distances using their radar emissions. Particular attention was paid to the development of intelligent software that enables the missile to find its target and attack it without external information (GPS or data links). The data from the imaging infrared seeker head and the radar seeker are primarily combined in order to find an enemy target safely and to approach it in the best possible way.

development

The program began in 2009 and was intended to produce two different anti-ship missiles: LRASM-A as a subsonic weapon with a range of 500 nm, based on Lockheed Martin's AGM-158 JASSM -ER, and LRASM-B, as a supersonic weapon like the BrahMos . LRASM-B was canceled in January 2012. Flight tests with the LRASM sensors (the designation LRASM-A is no longer used) began in May 2012.

On March 5, 2013 Lockheed received the contract to carry out ground and air launch tests with the LRASM. The use of a B-1 Lancer should also be demonstrated in three tests . The ground starts should take place in 2014. On June 3, 2013, the launch from an Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) was successfully tested. In four tests it was shown that the LRASM can pierce the front cap of the canister without being damaged. On July 11, 2013, flights on the B-1 Lancer were completed.

The first flight test began on August 27, 2013, after a take-off from a B-1. Halfway to the target, the missile switched from programmed route to autonomous control. The weapon then independently discovered its target, an 86 m long, unmanned ship, and struck with the inert warhead. The aim of the test flight was the seeker head, which should only hit the previously assigned of all contacts in the target area. The viewfinder is supplied by BAE Systems . On September 17, 2013, an LRASM Boosted Test Vehicle (BTV) was launched from a Mk 41 VLS canister. The guided missile, financed with own funds, used the booster of the RUM-139 VL-ASROC .

On November 12, 2013, the LRASM hit the sea target during its second flight test. A B-1B bomber disengaged the weapon, which then followed preprogrammed waypoints that were only transferred during the flight in order to switch to autonomous steering shortly before the target. The seeker head was working to satisfaction again. In January 2014 Lockheed showed that the LRASM can be fired from the Mk 41 VLS with only minor software modifications.

In 2018, the initial operational readiness was achieved on the B-1B Lancer and in mid-2019 on the F / A-18E / F Super Hornet. A total of 124 guided missiles are to be procured as part of the 1.4 billion US dollar program. The relatively low number of units is due to a changed procurement strategy of the US Navy: Instead of starting a lengthy program with usually well over a decade of development time, the LRASM program was started with the help of existing technology, but without a cost-efficient tender or fundamental new developments. Therefore, as part of the second part of the OASuW program, a classic selection and design process is carried out in order to develop a new guided weapon adapted for anti-ship use, which is then also procured in large numbers.

Web links

Commons : Long Range Anti-Ship Missile  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Navy recognition: Long Range Anti-Ship Missile - AGM-154C
  2. ↑ a b c U.S. Navy's New Weapons Extend Reach For Future Sea Battles . November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  3. ↑ a b Navy moves Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) project forward to integration and test . May 16, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  4. ↑ Lockheed Snags DARPA Anti-Ship Missile Award , AVIATION WEEK. Retrieved November 14, 2010
  5. ^ Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) . DARPA. 2012. Archived from the original on August 9, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  6. ↑ Lockheed Martin Receives $ 71 Million Long Range Anti-Ship Missile Contract - Lockheed press release, March 5, 2013
  7. ↑ LRASM Successfully Completes Vertical Launch System Tests - Deagel.com, June 3, 2013
  8. ↑ Dave Majumdar: Lockheed LRASM completes captive carry tests . Flightglobal. July 11, 2013. Archived from the original on August 8, 2013. Retrieved on August 16, 2014.
  9. ↑ SAM FELLMAN. " DARPA Testing New Ship-Killing Missile " DefenseNews , October 10, 2013. Accessed: October 20, 2013.
  10. ↑ Darpa tests Jassm-Based Stealthy Anti-Ship Missile - Aviationweek.com, September 6, 2013
  11. ^ First LRASM Boosted Test Vehicle Successfully Launched from Mk41 Vertical Launch System - Deagel.com, September 17, 2013
  12. ↑ Air-Launched LRASM Successfully Completes Second Flight Test - Deagel.com, November 14, 2013
  13. ↑ LRASM Prototype Scores 2nd Successful Flight Test ( Memento from December 7, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) - Darpa.mil, December 3, 2013
  14. ↑ Lockheed Martin Successfully Tests LRASM MK 41 Vertical Launch System Interface - Deagel.com, January 15, 2014
  15. ↑ US Naval Institute News: Next-Generation Anti-Ship Missile Achieves Operational Capability with Super Hornets