via Raytheon.
-- The U.S. Navy has begun integrated testing (IT) of Raytheon
Company's (NYSE: RTN) Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1. During its first
flight in IT, the JSOW C-1 was retargeted to strike a large moving ship
target.
"This flight test further demonstrates that JSOW C-1 can receive
third party target updates in-flight, retarget after release, and strike
a precise point on a moving ship using the weapon's autonomous terminal
seeker," said Cmdr. Samuel Hanaki of the U.S. Navy's Precision Strike
Weapons Program Office. "The program remains on track for reaching
initial operational capability in 2013."
The test presented two maneuvering ships (large and small) as
potential targets. Before weapon release, a Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet
targeted the smaller ship, and then handed off weapon control to a
second Super Hornet also targeting the smaller ship. After release from
the first Super Hornet, the JSOW C-1 was guided by the second Super
Hornet toward the smaller maneuvering ship target located 90 kilometers
from launch point.
While in flight, the JSOW was retargeted by the second Super Hornet
to the larger maneuvering ship target. The JSOW provided weapon
in-flight track and bomb hit indication status messages back to the
controlling Super Hornet while successfully engaging the larger target
ship. The test validated JSOW C-1's unique ability to be controlled,
updated and retargeted as needed to eliminate its intended target.
"JSOW C-1 brings U.S. and allied warfighters the unique ability to
engage moving ships as far as 100 kilometers away with an air-launched
precision strike weapon," said Celeste Mohr, Raytheon Missile Systems'
JSOW program director. "The 280 Raytheon employees in Tucson, Ariz., and
the hundreds of partner-supplier employees across the U.S. worked hard
to make this test a success and demonstrate JSOW C-1's ability as the
newest and pre-eminent moving maritime target weapon
You can bet your last dollar that when they talk about getting info from a third party they're talking about using this with P-8's. I wonder if we're about to see a type of control ship operating with UAVs off a carrier. Maybe a P-8 or C-2 stripped down as comm platforms having this as their sole mission.
It's too bad most CIWS systems can shoot down a JSOW as easily as shooting clay pigeons. The USN should really get with the times. Go read up on the AGM-53 Condor from the 70's. The USN should be packing something like that with a modern guidance system.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-53.html
Nothing against JSOW but sferrin's right: to a ship's radar system and CIWS, this looks very much like a dumb bomb, easy to see and easy to shoot down.
ReplyDeleteIs this a valuable capability? Sure, but it's not very impressive against a modern navy and can probably be looked at as a stop gap maneuver to cover the navy's failure to develop a modern successor to the Harpoon.
I just dont see how the worlds air forces can argue they need retasking capability, but do not need co-pilots/WSOs/Navigators/ some guy to do stuff whilst the pilot is pulling -9g corkscrews to avoid being blown up.
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the lessons from Libya: the French are planning on using two seat Rafales for ground attack and single seaters for air to air.
DeleteIf you're "pulling 9G corkscrews" you've already punched off your ordinance so the point is moot.
DeleteSferrin
DeleteRead again
Hornet launches missiles at enemy destroyer
Enemy destroyer launches fire and forget missiles at Hornet
Hornet begins evasive action to lose missiles
Destroyer split in half by torpedo
Can hornet pilot dodge half a dozen incoming missiles AND retarget his missiles against a frigate/cruiser/corvette/tank landng ship
Or whatever.
@sferrin,
ReplyDeleteAfter looking into the AGM-53 Condor I don't see how that's any better. The JSOW C-1 actually looks like a direct decedent of that weapon to me.
@BB1984,
What would make the JSOW C1 any easier to shoot down than a Harpoon? It's not like either are employing any (obvious) stealth technology to defeat radar guided systems (ie the Phalanx).
The JSOW is a LO weapon and has alined edges, saw-tooth panels, nose chine, etc. Not sure if it has any RAM.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/weapons/weapons/jsow.jpg
I actually noticed those features myself... I guess I misspoke.
DeleteGiven that though, I would think a Harpoon would be much easier to defeat (ie shoot down) than this would be.
Even with LO capabilities, I see the JSOW-C1 as a stopgap measure only.
ReplyDeletebtw, NG is already proposing (and testing) the F-35's EODAS as a shipboard defensive sensor.
http://www.es.northropgrumman.com/solutions/silentwatch/index.html
Not going to argue with you there. I just don't think it's the complete waste of time (and therefore money) that it's perceived as in the comments here.
DeleteHere is a thought:
ReplyDeleteWould a low RCS & low temp (low air friction heating) glide bomb have a better chance of success vs a high speed (RCS not much of an issue due to high friction heating allowing for detection)?
How about combining the best of both worlds and adapting the HVPW into an anti-ship mode? Replace the penetrator with a more appropriate warhead for anti-ship duties. Drop it from 30-40 miles at subsonic speeds. Let it get with a couple of miles before the booster kicks in and gets it up to M2 or M3+ in a dive.
If going against a well defended target then saturation tactics can be used to overwhelm eve the short defensive time allowed.
How much is RCS effected by heat? For example the F-22 during super-cruise; does its RCS increase significantly?
ReplyDeleteI do not think it is a problem as long as the RAM (if any) is not damaged by the heat of M3+ flight. By that time any IR detectors should have picked up on it anyways (thanks to its big booster plume) so changes to the RCS do not affect the endgame anyways.
ReplyDelete