First JAGM Missile Launch by US Marine Attack Helicopter in the Pacific.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit sank a moving training target during an expeditionary strike exercise in the Philippine Sea, as reported by the US Department of Defense on Wednesday, June 26. This event marks a first for the AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), fired by a US Marine Corps attack helicopter at a moving maritime target in the Pacific. This event represents a significant step in the development of this precision missile, which had faced difficulties during its initial tests.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z pilots from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit fired an AGM-179 JAGM during an EXPO strike off Okinawa's coast on June 26, 2024. (Picture source: US DoD)

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit announced the live-fire exercise on June 28, 2024, revealing that two days earlier, an AH-1Z Viper, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 Reinforced, had fired an AGM-179 JAGM in real conditions, hitting a towed moving training vessel during a training mission at sea. The training took place in the Philippine Sea, off the coast of Okinawa.

A US Marine Corps attack helicopter fired a new missile at a moving maritime target in the Pacific. This marked a first for the AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile. The JAGM had faced challenges during earlier tests but is considered essential for improving the lethality of US attack helicopters. Earlier this week, a US Marine Corps attack helicopter fired a new missile in the Pacific, hitting a moving naval target and marking a first for the weapon.

A video shared by the unit showed the test, starting with preparations and the crew loading ammunition onto the attack helicopter. Then, the AH-1Z took off from Okinawa Air Base towards the Philippine Sea, where it fired the JAGM at a moving vessel. The JAGM then hit the target, destroying it on impact.

The JAGM features a dual-mode seeker and guidance system, offering precision strike and "fire and forget" capabilities, meaning the launcher does not need to intervene or direct the missile's flight toward its target once it has been fired. (Picture source: US DoD)

The JAGM is a precision-guided munition capable of being used against stationary and moving land and maritime targets. Considered an improvement over other missiles such as Hellfire and Maverick, the weapon's initial development and testing faced some difficulties, including a one-year delay for full-rate production approval and several failed operational tests. The JAGM can be used to defend key maritime terrain against a wide range of targets, from armored vehicles to maritime patrol craft during conflict.

It achieved initial operating capability with the Marines in 2022. The Marines' initial tests in 2019 went poorly when two missiles fired did not reach their targets. The Army's first trials with the JAGM also presented a series of problems, including munitions missing their targets and failing to explode. Overall, both the Marines and the Army have stated they were able to resolve these issues during subsequent testing.

The JAGM features a dual-mode seeker and guidance system, offering precision strike and "fire and forget" capabilities, meaning the launcher does not need to intervene or direct the missile's flight toward its target once it has been fired. The JAGM can also strike multiple targets and offers improved precision strike capabilities in varied weather conditions.

When the Marines achieved initial operating capability with the weapon, Colonel Vasilios Pappas, the Marine Corps H-1 Light/Attack Helicopter program manager, stated that "incorporating systems such as JAGM on the AH-1Z is essential to keeping the platform at the forefront of combat capabilities."