CLAWS Completes Development Testing

Released on Thursday, January 27, 2005

The Complementary Low Altitude Weapon System (CLAWS) completed its development testing program at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, with a successful direct hit on a surrogate cruise missile target.

The flight tests were supported by elements from the 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) Battalion and the Marine Air Control Squadrons (MACS) 23 and 1.

Key elements for the CLAWS during the tests were the TPS-59 radar and AN/TYQ-23 Tactical Air Operations Module which provide large volume (long range) air picture. The MPQ-64 Sentinel radar provides close (short range) air picture and tracking for the weapon system. Command and Control, with air picture and track correlation, for CLAWS is performed by the Marine Air Defense Communications Platform updated with the Raytheon Solipsys Multi-Source Correlator Tracker and Tactical Display Framework. Fire Control and launch were by CLAWS launcher based on High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), while intercept was by AIM-120 AMRAAM.

The US Marine Corps will use CLAWS as a an all-weather, highly mobile, high firepower, air defense system for Expeditionary Forces. The HMMWV platform is the basis for the whole air defense system and the AIM-120 missile is the interceptor. CLAWS is the Marine variant to the Ground Launched AMRAAM common launcher program.