Precision Attack weapons from AUSA Conference

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From The US Army Association Conference:

Raytheon unveiled new details about the Precision Attack, Air-to-Surface Missile (PASSM), under development addressing future requirements for airborne multi-sensor precision attack weapon designed against a target set including armored vehicles and buildings, hardened bunkers and small naval targets. PASSM will use the current Hellfire rail launchers, enabling simple integration with AH-64 Apache and Longbow and Super Cobra attack helicopters and MH-60B naval helicopters. The missile will be equipped with the tri-mode seeker technology developed by Raytheon for the JCM and PAM program, enabling fully autonomous engagement as well as laser designation capability. Each missile will be fitted with a radio, establishing itself as a "node" on the battlefield network. This capability will enable it to receive targeting from multiple on-board and remote sources.

Non Line Of-Sight Launch Systems (NLOS-LS) was also displayed, as part of the NLOS weapon system which is expected to provide the core precision attack capability to the FCS BCT. NLOS is expected to "spiral out" of the FCS program in "spin-out 1" phase to accelerate its deployment with current forces. When employed with current forces NLOS-LS will be tasked by the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) for targeting and control. Other anti-tank weapon displayed here included the Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM) and two versions of the Medium Range Munition, extending the range of 120mm tank guns.
CE version of the Medium Range Munition, displayed at AUSA 06 by Raytheon MRM-KE hits a T-72 tank on a recent test. The round is developed by ATK.

Urban Assault Weapons

Upgrade for the veteran TOW II missiles are underway. Raytheon is currently promoting a Bunker-Buster version of the TOW, which recently "spiraled out" of the TOW program. TOW missiles are undergoing improvements that will maintain them in service through 2025. The TOW Bunker Buster uses a fragmentation high-explosive bulk charge to breach up to 8 inches (20.3cm) of double-reinforced concrete walls and destroy fortified targets in complex urban terrain.

The Hellfire AGM-114K anti-tank version has also been modified to improve its fragmentation capability, when engaging soft targets. The Mod-K modification, pursued by Dynetics for the Aviation & Missiles R&D and Evaluation Center, included the installation of a fragmentation sleeve placed around the shaped charge, optimizing fragment lethality against a broad target set, while minimizing degradation of shaped charge performance.

Much smaller, but with potential to be most effective, is the lightweight Urban Assault Weapon (UAW) was displayed by Qinetiq. The company conducted extensive research evaluating various shoulder launched weapon concepts, designed to provide infantry troops an effective urban engagement capability. Qinetiq designed their UAW concept to be lightweight (less than 17.6 lbs (8 kg) but capable to provide multiple effects from a single munition, defeating bunkers, buildings or light armored vehicles.
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Had not heard of the system I put in bold. Also interesting that CKEM is still around (got to love a Mach 6.5 capable missile) has it been deployed on any system?
 
I thought that NLOS-LS and the CKEM were cancelled by the Army and they are not going to be going into service, while the Navy chose the Griffin missile instead? Think you could provide a link?

And whatever happened to the Spike mini missile launcher? I haven't heard any info on that for years.
 
John21 said:
And whatever happened to the Spike mini missile launcher? I haven't heard any info on that for years.

Not sure, if serious...
http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcwd/nawcwd/news/2009/2009-04_toland_spike_award.htm
 
What is this PASSM? JAGM/JCM is the official replacement for Maverick/Hellfire, why would Raytheon develop a similar missile?
 
AeroFranz said:
What is this PASSM? JAGM/JCM is the official replacement for Maverick/Hellfire, why would Raytheon develop a similar missile?

For whatever reasons, a few companies have developed weapons in this class and smaller using their own funds. Apparently it is getting a lot cheaper to develop these kinds of weapons than a few years ago.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/jsp_includes/articlePrint.jsp?storyID=news/DTI-UAVs.xml&headLine=Efforts%20Are%20Underway%20to%20Arm%20Small%20UAVs

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/dti/2011/03/01/DT_03_01_2011_p15-289347.xml&headline=Mini-Weapons%20Add%20Punch%20To%20Small%20UAVs

I can only assume that these companies see an emerging market opportunity, though I am not entirely buying that it's just small UAVs.
 
quellish said:
John21 said:
And whatever happened to the Spike mini missile launcher? I haven't heard any info on that for years.

Not sure, if serious...
http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcwd/nawcwd/news/2009/2009-04_toland_spike_award.htm

That is from almost two Years ago, I have not really heard anything about the program since that time and assumed it had been canned like a number of other army missile programs.
 
Spike mini missile test:
Published on Jun 16, 2015Watch as Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) performs a live-fire demonstration of Spike missile with newly attached folding fins that were developed in-house. The design concept comes from years of work to develop a lightweight, portable missile that could deploy from a shoulder-launch configuration. The test, which took place April 27, 2015, in China Lake, California, analyzed and evaluated the trajectory of the two missiles.
https://youtu.be/6pvCzFoAO-Y
 
I was about to write about how impressed I was that the blow-back fins didn't appear to be giving them any trouble at all on the first flight, then I saw the second one. Hey innovation is tough, but still impressed at how well this project is doing.
 
Moose said:
I was about to write about how impressed I was that the blow-back fins didn't appear to be giving them any trouble at all on the first flight, then I saw the second one. Hey innovation is tough, but still impressed at how well this project is doing.

Was the anomaly due to the fins or the guidance system?
 
Fin anomaly either in the spring or hinge (non powered).
 
Folding fins which pop up due to air resistance do not seem like a big deal, I'm surprised it's been taking so long to get the system into service. Concept/requirements back in 2001 for something like this? I've seen concepts and mock-ups for the past 10-12 years, it just seems to be taking FOREVER for this to get in the hands of our troops. I'm glad they're continuing to test it and developing new versions, but they should have been further ahead by-now.
 
Creative said:
Spike mini missile test:
Published on Jun 16, 2015Watch as Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) performs a live-fire demonstration of Spike missile with newly attached folding fins that were developed in-house. The design concept comes from years of work to develop a lightweight, portable missile that could deploy from a shoulder-launch configuration. The test, which took place April 27, 2015, in China Lake, California, analyzed and evaluated the trajectory of the two missiles.
https://youtu.be/6pvCzFoAO-Y
decade+ of dev for a limp d- dive in the desert. Public sector development has bit to be desired. Years of work ::)
 
We don't know what their funding profile is. That has a lot to do with how long it takes for things to come along.
 
AeroFranz said:
We don't know what their funding profile is. That has a lot to do with how long it takes for things to come along.
The original was private sector 75mm HV Spike in another thread might be noble cause. In Alabama, if that company survived.

This Spike was purposed as about as mature it seems now in the late nineties as a 40mm empower-er of infantry to DUSD AS&C as an ACTD. Seems little has changed since then except that it has gotten fatter.
 
http://tucson.com/news/business/raytheon-thinking-big-by-developing-tiny-missiles/article_aff67d37-d31c-5eaf-a331-a1987b3bda21.html
 
http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/pike/?utm_content=sf14048736&utm_medium=spredfast&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=Raytheon&sf14048736=1

Pike™ is a 17-inch-long, semi-active laser-guided precision weapon, measuring 40 mm in diameter and weighing two pounds. It’s the world’s only hand-launched precision-guided munition. Fired from a rifle-mounted grenade launcher, the miniaturized munition can travel one and a half miles and hit within five yards or less of a target, minimizing collateral damage.
 
Spike is now "Forward Firing Miniature Munition (F2M2)" . Still in progress at China Lake.
 
http://breakingdefense.com/2015/10/backpack-drones-smaller-weapons-army-thinks-small-on-uavs/
 
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/show-daily/ausa/2015/10/12/army-seeks-more-adaptable-modular-missile-systems/73841226/
 
https://www.govconwire.com/2017/08/lockheed-gets-548m-army-contract-modification-to-produce-hellfire-ii-missiles/
 

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