AARGM / VFDR Missiles
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Forest Green
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Seems to be but don't know how far along they are.
Navy To Test Ground-Launched Version Of New Radar-Busting Missile
The Navy is exploring the feasibility of launching the AGM-88G AARGM-ER from the ground, as well as the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane.
www.twz.com
Northrop Tests First Pieces Of Ground-Launched AARGM-ER | Aviation Week Network
The newly-branded Advanced Reactive Strike (ARES) missile and the Modular Payload System (MPS) launcher could be fielded in 4-7 years, depending on the booster configuration.
aviationweek.com
The problem with the second article is that except for the first paragraph it's pay-walled.
One thing that's occurred to me is that a ground-launched AGM-88G as is will have a greatly reduced range due to being launched from the ground and at zero speed so to match the range of an air-launched AGM-88G it will need a launch-booster. This would entail medication of the missile's boat-tail to enable the mounting of a launch booster but no doubt an off-the-shelf booster could be used, something like the VL-ASROC's Mk-114, the SM-3/6 Mk-72 booster or the Harpoon's A/B44G-2/3 booster for example.
One thing that's occurred to me is that a ground-launched AGM-88G as is will have a greatly reduced range due to being launched from the ground and at zero speed so to match the range of an air-launched AGM-88G it will need a launch-booster. This would entail medication of the missile's boat-tail to enable the mounting of a launch booster but no doubt an off-the-shelf booster could be used, something like the VL-ASROC's Mk-114, the SM-3/6 Mk-72 booster or the Harpoon's A/B44G-2/3 booster for example.
I really do not see a use case for a ground launched ARM for the US. If you know where there the target is, just use HIMARs. If you do not know where the target is, why are firing a two million dollar missile with reduced range from the ground to speculatively look for one?
The AARGM-ER has a longer range than the HIMARS (Which can't hit moving targets anyway) and for a GL version a launch-booster could easily be fitted and as for targets you don't know the precise location that's why it has a radar seeker also it can be retargeted during flight, there are no doubt applications where a GLAARGM-ER would be handy to have.
Seems like a niche that does not need to be filled, especially by the USN. We'll see what comes of it.
Are you sure AARGMER can be retargeted? I had not heard it had a datalink, outside a oneway system to help with BDA.
All of the information I've read suggest it does and if it doesn't have that capability I'm sure it can be added in an upgrade, remember it is designed for internal carriage by the F-35 and it's logical given the F-35's capabilities to have a two-way datalink to fully utilise it.
As for ground-launch I've no doubt feasibility trials will be carried out and I could see a UGM-88G version implemented by loading the AARGM-ER (With the Harpoon booster attached) into the same 21" launch pod used by the UGM-84.
My understanding is that the ER still uses the same guidance section as the 88E, which as far as I know has no target update capability. More over, the short flight time doesn’t seem conducive to target updates.
If I was surface launching a weapon that I wanted updates and terminal homing for, especially if I was the USN, I’d go SM-6 before anything else off the shelf. It is rumored this what Sea Dragon is, based on comments from officials (“existing weapon “/“supersonic”).
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That might actually be a more dangerous weapon than Sub-Harpoon, since we're talking a 1200lb weapon hitting at most of Mach 3...
I think it’s a 1000 lbs class weapon and a fair amount of it is solid rocket fuel.
Currently it has the G model's GCU repackaged a bit inside the AARGM-ER's forward section but from a cutaway diagram I've seen:
There's plenty of room for a two-way data-link and I strongly suspect that such a data-link would be a modified version of the one currently used in the latest AMRAAM variants.
I doubt it as it has at 160NMi/186Mi a considerably longer range than the AARGM and even flying a M3 there'd still be time for retargeting to adjacent targets also having a data-link means it can be carried and fired by a platform that is a LOT less sophisticated than the F-35.
I hadn't thought of that but flying at M3 it was ~9 times the Harpoon's kinetic energy so even it the warhead fails to detonate it will still do a lot of damage.
Given the speeds it flies at its' rocket-motor's burnout it still packs quite a kinetic-energy punch.
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Forest Green
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It uses the AGM-88E2 seeker head to be precise.
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AARGM is something like 900lbs, the -ER is a bit over 1100lbs.
Forest Green
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Was thinking on this. Does a ground launched version even make sense? Surely it would make more sense to stick the electronics section on a PrSM.Seems to be but don't know how far along they are.
Navy To Test Ground-Launched Version Of New Radar-Busting Missile
The Navy is exploring the feasibility of launching the AGM-88G AARGM-ER from the ground, as well as the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane.
Although the PrSM does have empty expansion space in its' ogive nosecone for upgrades with a terminal seeker I don't know if the electronics section could be put in it, at least not without repacking the electronics.
Forest Green
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They seem to have been able pack plenty of other electronics in there.
New Precision Strike Missile Seeker to Turn It Into Ship Killer
The US Army flight tested a Precision Strike Missile multimode seeker last year that enables the missile to perform maritime targeting.
www.thedefensepost.com
Lockheed Device Enables HIMARS Munitions to Strike Moving Targets
Lockheed Martin has demonstrated a communication device that provides in-flight target updates to munitions such as GMLRS.
www.thedefensepost.com
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If you take out a surface ship's radars, you've effectively killed it. Even with today's ships with datalinks/CEC.
I’m guessing that the post you are quoting is more questioning the effective range rather than warhead size, which are similar.
Forest Green
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I was also questioning whether it was better to build a separate ground launched missile and launch system, or just change the electronics in an existing one, which also has a range and speed benefit.
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