Breaking news
Video: US Navy F-35C Carrier Variant Starts AGM-154 JSOW Qualifications.
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A
US Navy F-35C test aircraft releases a JSOW from its weapons bay for the
first time. Source: F-35 Integrated Test Team |
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JSOW fits
inside the weapons bay of the F-35. Until this test, the F-35 has only
realesed satellite-guided Mk80-series bombs equipped with Boeing Joint
Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits from its internal weapons bay. |
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US Navy video |
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Designed
by Raytheon, 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. JSOW C and C-1 are designed to provide fleet forces with robust and flexible capability against high-value targets, at launch ranges exceeding 100 kilometers. The new JSOW C-1 combines the proven, precision, standoff land attack capabilities from JSOW C, with the new, state-of-the-art Link 16 data link to also engage moving maritime targets. The JSOW C-1 variant adds a two-way Link 16 data link to engage and destroy moving targets, as well as stationary land targets. |
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