ALARM - Air Launched Anti Radiation Missile

[timmymagic]

Quite surprised we don't have a thread on ALARM...using this mainly as an excuse to upload a very good interview on YT. Retired by the RAF in 2013 but one of the most fascinating missiles in recent years...

Good write up here...

When they sounded the ALARM - Armada International

30 years ago, the RAF deployed its ALARM anti-radar missile. Armada reflects on this weapon and its legacy.

www.armadainternational.com

Missile

https://imgur.com/dU8RzJH

View: https://imgur.com/dU8RzJH


Rear-view

https://imgur.com/pYsQ51O

View: https://imgur.com/pYsQ51O


Missile on Tornado GR.4 - Mix of ALARM, Brimstone, tanks and Sky Shadow/BOZ

https://imgur.com/uyM1qh3

View: https://imgur.com/uyM1qh3


Tornado GR.1 Gulf War 1

https://imgur.com/NmqSu3s

View: https://imgur.com/NmqSu3s


Missile Cutaway

https://imgur.com/7TlWz6W

View: https://imgur.com/7TlWz6W


Rather good video from an ex-RAF pilot on its usage and limitations

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06R6MTsuOAc

 

[CJGibson]

A brief write-up. Its evolution (with competitors) is described in Typhoon to Typhoon.

Chris

 

[Hood]

ALARM seeker head.

 

[NMaude]

ALARM seeker head.

I think I saw that drawing years ago in an issue of Jane's All the World's Weapons.

On another note after the RAF retired the ALARM I suppose any unexpended rounds were sold to the Saudis.

 

[timmymagic]

I think I saw that drawing years ago in an issue of Jane's All the World's Weapons.

On another note after the RAF retired the ALARM I suppose any unexpended rounds were sold to the Saudis.

By all accounts the Saudi's purchased around 250.

I don't think the RAF ones were sold on, they were in need of an MLU so the energetics may have expired. I do wonder how serviceable the Saudi missiles are now.

 

[publiusr]

"Radar-seeking missile" is more apt.

When I hear "anti-radiation missile" it makes me think of something shot into a mushroom cloud that neutralizes fallout.

 

[Flame2512]

ALARM does strike me as something which would have been rather useful for the war in Ukraine, or similar situations, if it were still in service. Presumably you could launch a suicide drone or cruise missile (e.g. Storm Shadow) attack against an enemy strategic target, then fire off some properly timed ALARMs to force the enemy short-range air-defence systems offline for a couple of minutes just as the drones / missiles start arriving at the target, increasing the effectiveness of the attack.

Though I suppose the increased capability of modern passive targeting systems (IRST, etc.) would make that tactic somewhat less effective, and the 50 nautical mile / 93 km maximum range would put the launch aircraft within S-300 / S-400 range.

 

[Flame2512]

This RAF document describes ALARM II as:

ALARM II – a modified version of the ALARM missile with a so-called ‘miss-inhibit’ facility, which stopped the warhead from detonating if the weapon failed to detect any SAM radar emissions.

Does anyone know if ALARM II included other improvements, or was it just the miss-inhibit functionality?