Tomahawk Replacement - Next Generation Command Attack Weapon?

bobbymike

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http://www.dodbuzz.com/2014/03/27/navy-seeks-next-generation-tomahawk/
 
To judge by the comments ("That next-generation weapon could be an upgraded Tomahawk or could be another weapon,”) Tomahawk Block V or equivalent might be the solution here. But after this long with the same basic airframe, it probably does make some sense to look around and see if there are alternatives. Can you get Tomahawk range in a JASSM-based airframe, for example?
 
TomS said:
To judge by the comments ("That next-generation weapon could be an upgraded Tomahawk or could be another weapon,”) Tomahawk Block V or equivalent might be the solution here. But after this long with the same basic airframe, it probably does make some sense to look around and see if there are alternatives. Can you get Tomahawk range in a JASSM-based airframe, for example?
Not without reducing your payload. JASSM ER only has about 2/3 the range of Tomahawk with the same warhead. A better question would be "how much range could we get with a stretched JASSM". You could give it a 4' stretch and still fit in a Mk41 VLS. That's a lot of fuel.
 
I would call a stretched version "JASSM-based."
 
A stretched version was proposed as JASSM-XR about a decade ago by Lockheed with 1000nm range. I think that was aimed at replacing ALCM though and not Tomahawk, but its not like it couldn't easily do both.
 
Seems that there were two concepts -- JASSM XR and Cruise Missile XR.


Cruise Missile XR (2006) was quite big -- 5,000-lb class, which probably would not let it fit in Mk 41 cells (it could only fit four per SSGN launch tube)


JASSM XR (2004) was apparently smaller, but envisaged only as an ALCM replacement.



http://www.satellitetoday.com/uncategorized/2006/09/11/lockheed-martin-explores-extreme-range-cruise-missile/
 
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/news/a18994/tomahawk-missiles-fuel-air-explosion/
 
bobbymike said:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/news/a18994/tomahawk-missiles-fuel-air-explosion/

Thank you for posting Boobymike. Hopefully a strategy for all modular, multi-purpose missile development.
 
 

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