Deathknell of the PLAN

This is just the latest in the wonderful web that is the system of systems that will work together to dominate the sea war against China if we do actually come to the aid of Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, etc.–from ISR to delivery systems to the weapons themselves.  In particular, the long range of this weapon coupled with some amount of LO treatment will allow target engagement outside of HHQ-9 range, PLAN’s longest-ranged SAM, and in combination with TTPs developed for its use should enable initially disabling PLANs Type 052C and Type 052D destroyers.  These form PLAN’s outer ring of air defense, and once they are disabled, further attacks can be prosecuted from relatively close range using other, more numerous and cheaper, weapon systems.

Jim H

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Lockheed Martin Completes First LRASM Air-Launch Flight Test

Sep 12, 2013

Lockheed Martin recently completed a successful first flight test of the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) program.

In the test over the Sea Range at Point Mugu, Calif., a U.S. Air Force B-1B from the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, released the LRASM. The missile navigated through all planned waypoints, transitioned to autonomous guidance and flew toward the maritime target using inputs from the onboard multimodal sensor. The missile then descended to low altitude for final approach to the target area, positively identified and impacted the target.

“This is a monumental accomplishment for the LRASM program and paves the way for subsequent missile launches,” said Mike Fleming, LRASM air launch program manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The multi-service and industry team was well-coordinated and operated seamlessly in the execution of this very important test.”

LRASM is an autonomous, precision-guided anti-ship standoff missile leveraging the successful Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) heritage, and is designed to meet the needs of U.S. Navy and Air Force warfighters in a robust anti-access/area-denial threat environment.

JASSM-ER, which recently completed its operational test program, provides a significant number of parts and assembly-process synergies with LRASM, which results in cost savings for the U.S. Navy and Air Force (air- and surface-launched) Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare programs.

After a competition in 2009, Lockheed Martin’s LRASM was selected to demonstrate air- and surface-launched capability to defeat emerging sea-based threats at significant standoff ranges.

Armed with a proven 1,000-pound penetrator and blast-fragmentation warhead, LRASM employs a multi-mode sensor, weapon data link and an enhanced digital anti-jam global positioning system to detect and destroy specific targets within a group of ships.

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Anti-Ship Missile Prototype Conducts First Solo Test Flight

Sep 12, 2013

Adversaries’ sophisticated air defense systems can make it difficult for current air- and surface-launched anti-ship missiles to hit their targets at long range. To engage specific enemy warships from beyond the reach of counter-fire systems, warfighters may require launching multiple missiles or employing overhead targeting assets such as radar-equipped planes or Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites-resources that may not always be available.

To help address these challenges, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) are collaborating on the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) program, which successfully launched its first prototype on August 27.

Designed for both surface and air launch, LRASM seeks to develop an autonomous, precision-guided anti-ship standoff missile based on the successful Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) system.

LRASM aims to incorporate sensors and systems to create a stealthy and survivable subsonic cruise missile with reduced dependence on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, network links and GPS navigation in electronic warfare environments. The program also focuses on precision lethality in the face of advanced countermeasures.

“This fully functional test is a significant step in providing the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force with a next-generation anti-ship missile capability,” said Artie Mabbett, DARPA program manager for LRASM.

“This test is the culmination of the five-year development and integration of advanced sensors in an All-Up-Round (AUR) missile. It also represents the first time we’ve integrated advanced sensors and demonstrated the entire system, resulting in performance that substantially exceeds our current capabilities.”

DARPA designed the free-flight transition test (FFTT) demonstration to verify the missile’s flight characteristics and assess subsystem and sensor performance. Beyond the primary objectives of the free-flight transition, the test vehicle also detected, engaged and hit an unmanned 260-foot Mobile Ship Target (MST) with an inert warhead.

A B-1 bomber from the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron conducted the mission from Dyess AFB, Tex., to the Point Mugu Sea Test Range off the coast of southern California. Once in position, the B-1 released the LRASM, which followed a pre-planned route towards the target.

Approximately halfway to its destination, the weapon switched to autonomous guidance, in which it autonomously detected the moving MST and guided itself to hit the desired location on the target. A F/A-18 fighter from the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31 in China Lake, Calif., followed the weapon during the flight.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (LMMFC) is the prime contractor for the demonstration of the LRASM weapon. BAE Systems’ Information and Electronic Systems Integration division is the prime contractor for the design and delivery of LRASM’s onboard sensor systems.