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Safran's Hammer Bomb Enhances French Rafale F4 Fighter's Precision Against Ground Targets.
The Rafale F4 marks a crucial step in enhancing the offensive capabilities of the French military aviation with the upcoming integration of the 1,000 kg AASM, developed by Safran Electronics & Defense under the name Hammer. This optimized version of the AASM represents a major innovation, enabling the Rafale F4 to destroy targets with extreme precision, regardless of weather conditions and from a safe distance. Already proven with 250 kg bombs, this new standard now adapts the AASM to heavy munitions such as the Mk84, the BLU-109 "Bunker Buster," as well as the French BA84 and P1000 bombs, developed in partnership with Aresia and Eurenco. This advanced capability is expected to become operational in 2025.
French Rafale F4 Fighter Equipped with Safran's Hammer Precision Bomb. (Picture source: SAFRAN)
The Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) awarded Safran a €85 million contract in 2017 to adapt the AASM to 1,000 kg bomb bodies. Following successful trials in 2020, the qualification of the AASM 1000 GS with inertial/GPS guidance was confirmed, and its technical support was finalized to ensure smooth integration into the air forces. For nearly two years, the Centre d’expertise aérienne militaire (CEAM) in Mont-de-Marsan has conducted rigorous tests through the 1/30 “Côte d’Argent” Fighter and Experimentation Squadron to optimize employment procedures and improve the performance of this new munition. The full operational capability (FOC) of the AASM 1000 is now anticipated by late 2024, marking a decisive enhancement of the Rafale F4's precision strike capabilities.
During testing, demanding scenarios were performed to evaluate the limits of the weapon, including long-range launches and extreme off-axis firing angles. The commander of the ECE 1/30 highlighted that these experiments provided critical feedback (RETEX), particularly regarding the perception of firing events in the cockpit and the action of powerful impulse mechanisms ensuring a clean bomb separation. The Rafale F4 will be able to carry up to three AASM 1000 bombs—one in the central ventral position and two under the wings—with variable strike options, including surface detonation or deep penetration after impact, meeting the strategic requirements of modern theaters of operations.
The AASM (Armement Air-Sol Modulaire), also known as HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range), is a guided air-to-ground munition developed by Safran Electronics & Defense for the French military. This program began in the late 1990s, when the French armed forces sought to modernize their air-to-ground attack capabilities. The goal was to develop a precision munition capable of striking fixed and mobile targets at long range while minimizing collateral damage.
The development of the AASM began in 2000 under the supervision of the DGA. The solution involved adding guidance and propulsion kits to existing smooth bombs, such as the Mk 82 (250 kg), Mk 83 (500 kg), and Mk 84 (1,000 kg). These kits provide the AASM with high precision through multiple guidance systems: inertial, GPS, laser, or infrared, depending on the version. It also offers an extended range of up to 70 km, depending on the launch altitude, allowing combat aircraft to engage targets without entering high-risk zones.
Following successful trials in 2005, the AASM was qualified by the DGA in 2007 and integrated into the operational capabilities of the French military. It primarily equips the Dassault Rafale and Mirage 2000 D combat aircraft. The AASM was first used operationally in 2008 in Afghanistan, where it demonstrated its precision against fortified targets. The intervention in Libya in 2011 during Operation Harmattan marked a major milestone, as the AASM proved its effectiveness in striking both static and mobile targets in complex, well-defended environments.
To meet growing operational requirements, several versions of the AASM were developed: a laser-guided version for mobile targets, an infrared-guided version for thermal targets, and a long-range version with an additional propulsion motor to reach distances exceeding 70 km. In 2016, to enhance its export appeal, the AASM was renamed HAMMER, an English acronym more accessible to the international market.
Today, the HAMMER has become an indispensable tool for the French military, particularly in external operations such as in the Sahel during Operation Barkhane or in the Middle East. Its ability to combine modularity, precision, and range makes it a strategic asset for Rafale pilots. Furthermore, the munition is offered for export, particularly to Rafale clients such as India, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates.
The AASM HAMMER has also been used in Ukraine to enhance the country’s military capabilities against Russian aggression. In January 2024, France announced the delivery of several hundred of these precision munitions, at a rate of approximately 50 units per month. The first confirmed use of the HAMMER by Ukrainian forces took place on March 5, 2024, during a targeted strike on a Russian position in the Kherson Oblast.
To fully exploit this new capability, Ukrainian forces adapted their combat aircraft, including the MiG-29 and Su-25, to deploy these French munitions. This technical innovation has significantly improved the precision of Ukrainian air strikes against fortified and strategic targets. The integration of the AASM HAMMER has enabled Ukraine to conduct more effective operations, particularly against Russian military installations, marking a turning point in their ability to strike enemy positions decisively and at range.
Similar systems to the AASM HAMMER have been developed by various defense industries worldwide to meet the growing demand for precision-guided air-to-ground munitions. In the United States, the JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) program, launched in the 1990s by Boeing, converted conventional bombs into GPS/INS-guided munitions with a range of approximately 24 km. In Israel, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems developed the Spice (Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective), a modular munition guided by GPS and electro-optical imagery, deployed in the early 2000s with a range of up to 100 km. In Europe, MBDA introduced the Brimstone, a precision munition capable of striking mobile targets, which entered service in the early 2000s and has been regularly upgraded. Meanwhile, Russia developed the KAB-500 and KAB-1500 guided bombs, introduced in the 1990s and 2000s, featuring laser, TV, or GPS guidance systems. These developments reflect the ongoing evolution of precision strike capabilities in modern aerial warfare worldwide.
Safran's Hammer Precision Bomb (Picture source: SAFRAN)