AGM-158 JASSM

A B-2 Spirit bomber delivering a JASSM at Eglin Air Force Base

The AGM-158 JASSM is a cruise missile developed in the United States.

Overview

The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) project was begun in 1995 after the cancellation of the AGM-137 TSSAM missile. The TSSAM had been designed as a high precision stealthy missile for use at stand-off ranges, but poor management of the project had resulted in costs rising to unacceptable levels. Since the requirement for such weapons still existed, the military was quick to announce a follow up project with similar goals. Initial contracts for two competing designs were awarded to McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed Martin in 1996, and the missile designations AGM-158A and AGM-159A were allocated to the two weapons. Lockheed Martin's AGM-158A won out and a further contract for development was granted in 1998.

The AGM-158A is powered by a Teledyne CAE J402 turbojet. While carried the wings are folded to reduce size, flipping out on launch. There is a single vertical tail. Guidance is via inertial navigation with updating from a global positioning system. Target recognition and terminal homing is via an imaging infrared seeker. A data link allows the missile to transmit its location and status during flight, allowing improved bomb damage assessment. Accuracy is extremely good, with a CEP reported at 2.4 metres (8 feet). The warhead is a WDU-42/B 450 kg (1000 lb) penetrator.

The JASSM will be carried by a wide range of aircraft - the F-15E, F-16, F/A-18, F-35, B-1B, B-2 and B-52 are all intended to carry the weapon.

Controversies

Test failures

In 1999 powered flight tests of the missile began. These were successful, and production of the JASSM began in December 2001. The weapon began operational testing and evaluation in 2002. Late that year two of the units failed tests, both due to warhead failures, and the project was delayed for three months before completing development in April 2003. Two more launches failed, this time as a result of launcher and engine problems.

In July 2007 a $68 million program to address the JASSM reliabilty issues and recertify the missile was approved by the Pentagon.^[1] A decision on whether to continue with the program was deferred until Spring 2008.^[2]

Foreign sales

Finland planned to purchase JASSM missiles for the Finnish Air Force as part of modernization plans of its F/A-18 Hornet fleet. In February 2007 the United States declined to sell the missiles, while agreeing to proceed as planned with other modernization efforts (the so-called Mid-Life Update 2, or MLU2). This episode led to speculation in the Finnish media on the state of Finnish - American diplomatic relations. ^[3]

Operators

The United States Air Force plans to acquire up to 3700 AGM-158 missiles.
The United States Navy originally planned to acquire 450 AGM-158 missiles but pulled out of the program in favor of employing the proven SLAM-ER.^[4]
On 28 Feb 2006, The Australian government announced the selection of the Lockheed Martin JASSM to equip the Royal Australian Air Force's F/A-18 Hornet fighters.^[5]

Improvements

The Air Force is studying various improvements to the AGM-158. Mooted improvements include a submunition dispenser warhead, new types of homing head, and a new engine giving ranges in excess of 1,000 km (600 mi).

The JASSM-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) received the designation AGM-158B in 2002. Using a more efficient engine and larger fuel volume in an airframe with the same external dimensions as the JASSM, the JASSM-ER is intended to have a range of over 500 nautical miles (925 km) as compared to the JASSM's range of about 200 nautical miles. The first flight test of the JASSM-ER occurred on May 18, 2006 when a missile was launched from a U.S. Air Force B-1B bomber at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. As of 2006, JASSM-ER was scheduled for introduction into the operational inventory in 2009.

Specifications

Length : 4.27 m (14 ft)
Wingspan : 2.4 m (7 ft 11 in)
Weight : 1,020 kg (2,250 lb)
Speed : Subsonic
Range : 370 km+ (230 mi+)
Propulsion : Teledyne CAE J402-CA-100 turbojet; thrust 3.0 kN (680 lbf)
Warhead : 450 kg (1000 lb) WDU-42/B penetrator
Production unit cost : $700,000
Total program cost : $3,000,000,000

References

External links

[1] "$68M plan to fix JASSM gets the OK - Air Force Times".

[2] "Pentagon To Announce JASSM Decision In 2008 - Amy Butler/Aerospace Daily & Defense Report".

[3] United States refuses to sell missiles to Finland - Helsingin Sanomat

[4] JASSM/ No Ma'am - Which Will It Be? - Defense Industry Daily

[5] Australia Chooses JASSM Missiles on F-18s for Long-Range Strike - Defense Industry Daily

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