|
|
| a |
Naval
Forces News - USA |
| |
|
| |
| |
Raytheon's
newest JSOW C-1 variant enters operational testing |
| |
Raytheon
Company and the U.S. Navy successfully completed the final free flight
in the integrated testing phase for the Joint Standoff Weapon C-1. During
the development test, JSOW C-1 demonstrated its effectiveness against
moving maritime targets, a crucial capability against current and future
surface warfare threats. The weapon is on track to start operational
testing (OT) this spring and is slated for delivery to the fleet in
2016 after the successful completion of OT. |
|
A Joint
Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1 in flight off the coast of California in
2011. A JSOW C-1, similar to the one pictured, completed it last free-flight
test as part of integrated test and evaluation in January 2015. (U.S.
Navy photo) |
|
"As
we pivot to the Pacific, our capability to employ networked precision
strike across our kill chains and engage in offensive anti-surface warfare
is key to maintaining our strategic dominance in that theater,"
said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, the Navy's Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201)
program manager at Patuxent River. "I am proud of our Navy and
Raytheon team's commitment to providing these advanced capabilities
to the warfighter."
During the test, the aircrew executed a pre-launch handoff between two
F/A-18E/F aircraft followed by the weapon's release at a distance of
35 nautical miles to the target. The two Super Hornets again transferred
control of the weapon, then sent a post-launch retargeting command to
reroute the JSOW C-1 from the initial target ship to a higher priority
target. |
|
US Navy
F-18 with JSOW (Picture: Raytheon) |
|
While
en route to the target ship, the JSOW C-1 provided real time weapon
in-flight track and bomb hit indication status messages back to the
controlling aircraft via the link-16 network. The multiple communication
exchanges between the aircraft and the weapon were seamless and culminated
in a successful engagement of a small maneuvering ship target.
"JSOW C-1 will be the U.S. Navy's first air-launched, net enabled
weapon to provide warfighters with the vital capability to engage both
stationary land-based and maneuvering sea-based targets," said
Celeste Mohr, Raytheon's JSOW program director. "The affordable
JSOW is critical to countering today's advanced, emerging threats."
JSOW C-1 is designed to provide fleet forces with robust and flexible
battlefield effects against high value targets at launch ranges of up
to 70 nautical miles from both fourth and fifth generation fighters.
F-35A/C integration is currently funded for JSOW C-1, with external
integration on the F-35B scheduled in Block 4. |
|
Aviation
Ordnancemen assigned to G-1 Division inspect Joint Stand Off Weapons
(JSOW) aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) before transferring them
to waiting aircraft. Picture: US Navy |
|
About
JSOW
JSOW is a family of combat proven, low-cost air-to-ground weapons that
employ an integrated GPS-inertial navigation system, with highly capable
guidance algorithms; and is the only U.S. standoff weapon in production
to fit internally in the Joint Strike Fighter. More than 5,000 JSOWs
have been produced since 1997, with more than 400 employed in combat.
JSOW C prosecutes stationary land targets, and uses an imaging infrared
seeker for increased accuracy in the terminal phase. The JSOW C-1 variant
adds the two-way Strike Common Weapon Datalink enabling additional target
sets with critical moving maritime target capability. |
