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JSOW Block II Tested Successfully by the US Navy |
Released on Monday, October 16, 2006
The Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Block II, an updated version of the
battle-proven weapon that offers significantly lower unit costs and an
additional payload option, successfully flew its first U.S. Navy test flight
Oct. 12. The test, flown at China Lake Naval Air Station, California, on an
F/A-18, demonstrated both weapon system performance and aircraft compatibility.
Block II continues to maintain JSOW's low radar cross section and infrared
signature. These are key stealth features and ensure a high probability of JSOW
survival en route to highly defended targets. Raytheon is under contract with
Naval Air Systems Command to produceBlock II JSOW-C missiles for the Navy and
Marine Corps starting in 2007.
Block II has significantly reduced unit cost through airframe redesign to a
major single piece, employment of less expensive components, advanced technology
and a reduction in parts count. JSOW's shelf life has been doubled, eliminating
major lifecycle costs. Block II reduces the unit cost of JSOW by more than 25
percent.
"The cost reduction provided by the Block II program enables the Navy to provide
more weapons to the fleet with more capability," said Capt. Mat Winter, the
Navy's program manager for Precision Strike Weapons. "JSOW Block II savings
allow us to incorporate future increased capability without asking for
additional JSOW funds."
JSOW won the 2005 Department of Defense David Packard Award for Excellence in
Acquisition for Block II cost reduction initiatives. Raytheon funded the
development of a new payload option for the JSOW A that is also part of the
Block II program. This new version uses a 500-pound BLU-111 (MK-82) warhead and
is designated the AGM-154A-1. The BLU-111 variant is the lowest cost JSOW
variant and eliminates unexploded ordnance concerns of cluster munitions while
maintaining or increasing effectiveness against a broad target set. It is
primarily intended for the international market.
Development of a Block III variant of JSOW has started. It will add moving
target capability by adding a weapons data link, and it will continue Block II
cost reduction efforts. A weapon data link provides the capability of in-flight
communications. Missile health, status and position can be transmitted by the
weapon up to the time of impact. The weapon can also receive in-flight target
updates. Anti-ship capabilities are provided by using the JSOW-C imaging
infrared seeker for targeting. The first Block III weapon is scheduled to be
produced in 2009.
JSOW Block II maintains all standoff and survivability capability of the current
JSOW and includes an improved anti-jam capability. The RAPTOR SAASM (Raytheon
Advanced Protection Technology Receiver/Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing
Module) global positioning system (GPS) aids inertial navigation. RAPTOR GPS/INS
(inertial navigation system) is an
advanced navigator developed by Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems and is used
in other Raytheon products.
JSOW is a joint Navy and Air Force program. It is a family of low-cost,
air-to-ground weapons that employ an integrated GPS/INS that guides the weapon
to the target. The JSOW uses a common and modular weapon body capable of
carrying various payloads. Its long standoff range, up to 70 nautical miles,
allows delivery from well outside the lethal range of most enemy air defenses.
More than 400 JSOW-As have been used in combat operations to date. More than
2,500 JSOW have been produced to date.
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Abbreviation
GPS - Global Positioning System
INS - Inertial Navigation System
JSOW - Joint Stand-Off Weapon
SAASM - Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module
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