Early 1990s SR(A) 1242/1243 Laser and autonomous guided bomb requirements

overscan (PaulMM)

overscan (PaulMM)

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Other conventional RAF weapons for which requirements are outstanding are SR(A) 1242 and 1243 for laser-guided and autonomous guided bombs for all-altitude delivery. While the Gulf conflict dramatically demonstrated the greatly enhanced accuracy, and therefore cost-effectiveness, of laser-guided bombs, it also showed the desirability of having heavier ordnance available than the RAF's standard 1,000lb (454kg) free fall Mk 13/18 HE weapon for hardened targets. Possible contenders include the Elbit Opher, GEC Marconi Al Hakim, MATRA Arcole, and Texas Instruments Paveway III. BAe Dynamics could possibly revive its 1980s Bushcat studies for laser-guidance and perhaps rocket-booster kits for standard RAF ordnance, although these would now need to be expanded from their original focus on low-level release.
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Air International May'93

Paveway 3
In July 1994 it was announced that Paveway 3 had been selected for the UK’s Low-Level, Laser-Guided Bomb programme, Staff Requirement (air) 1242. The requirement was for a low-level LGB system for use against aircraft shelters, bridges, and military command centres. Paveway 3 will be fitted to Tornado GR. Mk 1 and Mk 4 aircraft, and will be designated GBU-24A/B.

Texas Instruments leads the team and the major supporting companies are: British Aerospace Systems and Equipment (BASE) which will manufacture gyros and rate sensors, Lockheed Martin which will provide the improved penetrating warhead, Thomson-Thorn Missile Electronics will supply and help integrate the advanced MultiFunction Bomb Fuze 1997 (MFBF), Portsmouth Aviation will manufacture the airfoil group and be responsible for MFBF fuze integration and provide trials. management for the programme, BAe Royal Ordnance division will assist in warhead/weapon integration.

At the 1994 Farnborough Air Show British Aerospace exhibited a Paveway 3 (UK) with a BROACH warhead and a Paveway 2 airfoil group.
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Janes Air Launched Weapons Issue 35
 
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GEC/Marconi (who became part of MBDA) developed the rocket-powered AGM-500/2000 series into the PGM (Precision Guided Munitions) family. The major changes were to the seeker: PGM-1A is a semi-active laser seeker, PGM-2 is TV-guided and PGM-3 uses infra-red imaging. The A suffix denotes the
500 Ib (226.8kg) warhead while the 2,000 Ib (907.2kg) warhead is identified by the B label.

The RAF was offered variants of the AGM, including one called Pegasus, developed jointly by BAe and Marconi in the 1990s to meet the SR(A).1242. This was unofficially known as Lancelot. However, the Air Staff were not particularly interested in these weapons, preferring to acquire US weapons such as the improved Paveway with added GPS guidance for use in bad weather. A further development, Centaur, replaced the Pegasus’ rocket motor with a gas turbine to produce a stand-off weapon to meet SR(A) 1236
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Chris Gibson, British Secret Projects - Hypersonics, Ramjets & Missiles
 
Rockwell and GEC Marconi Dynamics are to offer a package of weapon systems to meet the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) requirement for two key air-launched weapons. US defence contractor Rockwell is a surprise contender for Staff Requirement (Air) 1242, for a new laser-guided bomb to complement the the Royal Air Force's Texas Instruments Paveway II weapon.

The company says that it is preparing to respond to the MoD's invitation to tender and will probably offer a GBU-15 modular glide-bomb with a hardened-target-configured warhead and a seeker head based on that of the US Marine Corps' AGM-65E laser-guided Maverick air-to-surface missile.

The television- or infra-red (IR)-guided GBU-15 was used by the US Air Force during the 1991 Gulf War. Rockwell is hoping to combine its SR(A) 1242 bid with its AGM-130E response to the MoD's Naval General Air Staff Target 1236 for a conventionally armed stand-off missile (CASOM). The request for proposals for the CASOM is due in late 1994. British Aerospace had been tipped to be the front runner to team with Rockwell on offering the latter, but this may be reviewed, following BAe's talks with French manufacturer Matra on merging missile activities (Flight International, 5-11 May).

Meanwhile, GEC Marconi Dynamics says that it will also be responding to SR(A) 1242, but refuses to specify which system it will offer. Industry
officials indicate, however, that the company will put forward a laser-guided version of its Al Hakim stand-off missile. This is being funded by Abu Dhabi for carriage on United Arab Emirates' Dassault Mirage 2000s. GEC Marconi Dynamics is also likely to offer a long-range variant of the Al Hakim for the
CASOM requirement.

Other companies due to re-spond to the SR(A) 1242 invitation to tender include Aerospatiale, with the AS30L, Israel Aircraft Industries, with a Paveway II upgrade package based on technology from the Guillotine system, Matra- Defense, with the Arcole, and Texas, with the Paveway III.
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FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 9 - 15 June, 1993
 

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