New Air Force Missile Passes Final Test

AP | 3/28/03

[kattracks]

New Air Force Missile Passes Final Test

.c The Associated Press

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AP) - A new, low-cost cruise missile flew through a window and destroyed a two-story test house in its final test flight this week, clearing the way for possible use in Iraq, an Air Force official said Friday.

The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, or JASSM, next is scheduled for operational tests before going to combat units in September, but it could get to them much sooner, said Gerry Freisthler, lethal strike program director for the Air Armament Center here.

The missiles are manufactured in Troy, Ala., by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control of Orlando. They already are being produced at a low rate and some will be delivered by the end of April, Freisthler said.

``There are people who are thinking about what they could do with them, when,'' Freisthler said.

In the test Wednesday, a JASSM launched from a B-52 Stratofortress flew more than 190 miles to its target at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., in 25 minutes.

The missile has an improved 1,000-pound warhead with the destructive power of some existing 2,000-pound weapons, Freisthler said. Plans are to buy 2,400 baseline JASSMs at an average cost of under $400,000 each.

The Air Force also wants 1,400 extended range JASSMs, still under development, that can fly more than 500 miles. The Navy is planning for 500 JASSMs but hasn't yet specified which type, Freisthler said.

The missile's radar-avoiding stealth design makes it virtually impossible to shoot down. ``No threats out there today nor threats in the near future will be able to see it,'' Freisthler said.

03/28/03 16:40 EST

[Rammer]

Who's house was it? Chirac's?

[Renegade]

" It came in through the bathroom window "

[Redcloak]

"Candy-gram"

A neat little missile. It's GPS antennea has a "beamsteering" capability. In other words, it resists spoofing and jamming by only paying attention to signals coming in from above.

[JimFreedom]

On a related issue. I have been wondering how much ordinance we have considering the amount we are expending on current operations. I would hate to run out. My hopes are that we are producing this stuff (JDAMS, CRUISE etc) 24/7. Anyone have knowledge of this? We didn't have jack sh*t after Clinton left.

[Conspiracy Guy]

If it rang the door bell and came through the front door that would really be cool.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

http://www.jassm.com/dt10a_pr.html

Lockheed Martin's JASSM Demonstrates Ability to Perform Mission in Presence of Jammers
DT-10A, 13 September 2002

Lockheed Martin’s Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) successfully navigated through an intense jamming environment in a test September 13 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

Development test (DT) 10A, launched from an F-16 aircraft, marked the second launch of a JASSM Block 1A missile that included Selective Availability Anti-spoofing Module (SAASM) technology in an enhanced

digital JASSM anti-jam GPS receiver (JAGR-S). The JAGR-S component will be included in JASSM production vehicles produced in Lot 2 in 2004.

“This test has been an outstanding success, said Gerry Freisthler, Lethal Strike Joint Systems Program Director based at Eglin AFB, Florida. From launch and GPS acquisition, DT-10A continued to navigate through an intense, high density jamming field to its planned target. “JASSM’s anti-jam system is meeting our expectations and performing as predicted.”

GPS is a primary navigation, guidance and location system used by the military. During a conflict, threat jammers that are airborne or land-based around high value targets could deprive U.S. forces of the navigational data necessary to prosecute an attack. DT-10A proved that JASSM could perform first-day, first-strike operations in support of warfighters under
extreme conditions.

The test also underscored that JASSM can successfully navigate through a high-power, multiple jammer environment while continuing to track GPS satellites. The success of the anti-jam system in aiding navigation was evident given the missile’s accuracy to the target and precision target strike. Additionally, during the terminal portion of the mission, seeker guidance was tested to simulate adverse weather. The missile accuracy was unaffected.

“JASSM continues to demonstrate that it is a robust platform incorporating new technologies and enhancing effectiveness while maintaining affordability,” said Mike Inderhees, JASSM program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “JASSM offers the flexibility of fighter or bomber employment with the combination of range, survivability, and lethality – features our warfighters need now.”

Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego produces the digital, high anti-jam, adaptive-nulling and beam-steering GPS receiver under subcontract to JASSM producer, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

JASSM is in Independent Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) and has begun Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP). JASSM units will be available to the U.S. Air Force next year and is being produced at Lockheed Martin’s advanced missile manufacturing facility in Troy, Ala.

[Conspiracy Guy]

We had to ramp up a little but we have plenty. Ever wonder why we fooled around with the UN crap?

[July 4th]

There have been few stories about munitions plants' operations for obvious reasons. But from what's out there, I understand that the plants are running full-bore, pretty much as fast as safety ops will allow.

[Wright is right!]

"There have been few stories about munitions plants' operations for obvious reasons. But from what's out there, I understand that the plants are running full-bore, pretty much as fast as safety ops will allow."

Three months ago, CNN ran a story about a plant in the Midwest that was cranking out JDAMS at the rate of 1100 per week. They've supposedly been running double shifts the whole time.

I would imagine that we have PLENTY.

Michael

[AngryJawa]

A whole bunch of overtime pay coming up for the good folks of Troy, Alabama.

[snooker]

>>> A neat little missile. It's GPS antennea has a "beamsteering" capability.

And lots of other tricks.

But the big news is it's costs are half that of the current ones.

snooker

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

at an average cost of under $400,000 each.

some will be delivered by the end of April, Freisthler said.

That will be nice, for the next time. By the end of April we will be able to do anything that a cruise missle can do, anywhere a cruise missle can do it, including downtown Baghdad.

So the $400K missile will be a wonderful way to replace the tomahawks we have recently expended. The replacement cost of the existing missiles is simply reduced to $400,000 from nearly $1,000,000. But using the new missile instead of the existing inventory saves no money--the money spent for the existing inventory is gone.

[AlextheWise1]

hmm not fast enough, we used up about 5,000 this week from the briefing this morning.. Though they could have been doing that for a year now so... we should have about 55,000 nowhere near enough :)

[AlextheWise1]

Its probably cheaper because economie sof scale. It alot cheaper to make say 10k of something than 2k

[AlextheWise1]

hmmm 'more than 190 miles in 25 minutes'

... Id say signifigantly more.... I highly doubt it is going 16 MPH...

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

By the end of April we will be able to do anything that a cruise missle can do, anywhere a cruise missle can do it, including downtown Baghdad . . . with $28,000 JDAMs.

[finnman69]

I wanna see the JASSM tested out on AL JIZZM

[madison46]

Stealth cruise missles?? GADS!! Glad WE have them.