The LRASM is designed to satisfy the U.S. Navy and USAF requirement for a weapon that can be used in anti-access/area-denial threat environments
As reported by Lockheed Martin in a press release, on Apr. 3, 2017 the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) was successfully jettisoned from a Boeing Super Hornet at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
The company said the data from this jettison test “is used to validate the aerodynamic separation models of the missile. This successful test event paves the way for flight clearance to conduct captive carry integration testing scheduled for mid-year at the Navy Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, California.”
Mike Fleming, Lockheed Martin LRASM program director explained that “The first time event of releasing LRASM from the F/A-18E/F is a major milestone towards meeting early operational capability in 2019. The program is executing the integration and test contract, maturing subsystems and proving flight worthiness.”
By using advanced technologies that reduce dependence on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, network links and GPS navigation, the LRASM is able to detect and destroy specific targets within groups of ships
Once operational, the LRASM will play a significant role in ensuring military access to operate in open ocean/blue waters, owing to its enhanced ability to discriminate and conduct tactical engagements from extended ranges.
Based on the successful Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range (JASSM-ER), the LRASM precision-guided, anti-ship standoff missile is designed to satisfy the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force (USAF) requirement for a weapon that can be used in anti-access/area-denial threat environments.
The air-launched variant provides an early operational capability for the Navy’s offensive anti-surface warfare Increment I requirement to be integrated onboard the U.S. Air Force’s B-1B in 2018 and on the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in 2019.
Photo credit: NAVAIR
Artwork courtesy of AircraftProfilePrints.com
