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| Press Release Number: EPEOW200302051 | 05-Feb-03 |
JSOW Weapons On Target! |
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| Three Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW-A) baseline missiles were successfully launched recently from a U.S. Air Force F-16D and a U.S. Navy F/A-18C aircraft, at the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Pacific test range in southern Calif. The shots were part of the test phase which culminates an 18-month engineering effort to address vibration issues with the F-16 in the high speed, low altitude captive carriage environment. The high vibration levels were causing wear on the JSOW control fins. Raytheon (prime developer) and Goodrich (subcontractor for the control section) completed an aggressive design and validation effort, which concluded on schedule and within budget. The three glide weapons performed superbly detonating on target. Of significant note is that the weapon launched from the F-16D had accumulated enough hours during developmental captive testing to consume 70% of its life prior to launch. This end-to-end test demonstrated the robustness of the redesigned control section and gives the program manager great confidence that the weapon is ready for combat use. The new design will be inserted in full-rate production weapons as early as May 2003. The JSOW family uses a common weapon body for all variants. The AGM-154A variant carries BLU-97 combined-effect bomblets for use against area targets. To provide anti-armor capability, a follow-on version, AGM-154B, will carry a BLU-108 sub-munitions payload derived from the Sensor Fused Weapon (SFW). The third variant, AGM-154C, Unitary, is being developed with an infrared seeker and automatic target acquisition, and will integrate the UK Broach multi-stage warhead to provide blast-fragmentation and penetration capability. NAVAIR provides advanced warfare technology through the efforts of a seamless, integrated, worldwide network of aviation technology experts. From professional training to carrier launch and recovery; from sensor data to precision targeting and real-time communications; from aircraft and weapons development to successful deployment and sustainment; NAVAIR provides dominant combat effects and matchless capabilities to the American warfighter. |
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