F-35 begins Raytheon JSOW qualification flights

neptune · by **neptune** » 01 Apr 2016, 22:09

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/video-f-35-begins-raytheon-jsow-qualification-fligh-423782/

F-35 begins Raytheon JSOW qualification flights

01 April, 2016 BY: James Drew
Washington DC

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II will soon count Raytheon's AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) among its list internally carried munitions after “cleanly” releasing the 475kg (1,050lb) inert glide bomb during a trial off the coast of Maryland. The drop test on 23 March by the Naval Air Station Patuxent River-based CF-05 test aircraft is the first of many that will take place in 2016 to qualify the bomb for use by the stealthy combat jet.

Until now, the F-35 has only released satellite-guided Mk80-series bombs equipped with Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) tail kits from its internal weapons bay. Equipping the aircraft with a “standoff” glide bomb allows it to hit threatening targets, like anti-aircraft missiles, from safer distances.

“The addition of this guided glide bomb equips the F-35 Lightning II with a medium-range, all-weather weapon capable of engaging targets from further vantage points well out of range of typical enemy anti-aircraft and counter-air defenses,” the US Navy says in a statement on 1 April. “This lethality and survivability delivers a decisive advantage over adversaries.”

According to Raytheon, JSOW can strike targets 22km (12nm) away when released from an altitude of 500ft, or 130km (70nm) when released at 40,000ft. JDAMs, meanwhile, can hit targets up to 28km (15nm) away, depending on the speed and altitude of its release.

By comparison, the Russian SA-2 surface-to-air missile system can target aircraft within a 43km radius, and the mobile SA-6 can reach out 26km. More powerful Russian missile systems like the SA-10 (S-300) and SA-21 (S-400) have ranges approaching 150km and 431km, respectively, according to a report by the Mitchell Institute.

JSOW will come standard in the F-35 Block 3F configuration, and must be qualified for use by the navy's first combat-coded F-35C squadron at the time it declares initial operational capability (IOC) in 2018. Other Block 3F-specific weapons include the Boeing Small Diameter Bomb as well as the MBDA AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) and Raytheon UK Paveway IV for the Royal Air Force. ASRAAM units were recently shipped to the USA for F-35 testing and the 227kg (500lb) Paveway IV was first dropped from a B-model in June.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 01 Apr 2016, 22:46

VIDEO from 'neptune' link above....

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 22 Jun 2016, 02:01

Navy's first network-enabled weapon ready for fleet operations
20 Jun 2016 PEO(U&W) Public Affairs NavAir

"NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – The Navy’s first air-to-ground network-enabled weapon, JSOW C-1, has been delivered to the fleet after achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in early June....

...The newest iteration of JSOW is integrated with a Link 16 network radio, enabling the weapon to engage moving targets at sea. The radio allows the launch aircraft or another designated controller to provide real-time target updates to the weapon, reassign it to another target, or to abort the mission. The weapon also uses a terminal IR seeker and GPS/INS for guidance.

"The precision targeting of this weapon and its ability to receive real-time target updates makes it the fleet’s weapon for the fight tonight,” said Cmdr. Sam Messer, JSOW program manager. “JSOW C-1 provides the ability to engage our enemies at longer ranges and the flexibility to engage in direct attack even if enemy air defenses deny our aircraft access.”

The Raytheon-built weapon will be launched from F/A-18E/F and F-35A/C aircraft."

PHOTO: "A Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1 impacts a target during a flight test in March 2016 at Point Mugu Sea Test Range, Calif. (U.S. Navy photo)" http://www.navair.navy.mil/img/uploads/ ... 202016.jpg (5.1Mb)

Source: http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fu ... ry&id=6295

popcorn · by **popcorn** » 22 Jun 2016, 02:18

Looking forward to the next iteration, JSOW-ER featuring a 500Km range. At a targeted unit cost of $350K, a lot of bang for the buck.

https://youtu.be/Z83zXB8j5ow

jessmo111 · by **jessmo111** » 22 Jun 2016, 06:00

Does anyone expect the Jsow, to be used, anywhere else but the anti-shipping role? Why carry only 2 1k glide bombs, when you can carry 8 SDB 2 versus a SAM. The SDBs have the same range.

I'm sorry Jsow has the slight edge, but I am sure I've read about SDBs being fired at mach 1.5+ to increase range

SDB I (GBU-39)
more than 60 nmi (110 km)[4]
SDB II (GBU-53)
45 miles (72km) against moving targets[

hornetfinn · by **hornetfinn** » 22 Jun 2016, 06:17

jessmo111 wrote:Does anyone expect the Jsow, to be used, anywhere else but the anti-shipping role? Why carry only 2 1k glide bombs, when you can carry 8 SDB 2 versus a SAM. The SDBs have the same range.[

Yes, when there is need for heavy warhead and standoff delivery, JSOW will likely be the weapon of choice. Targets for it are hard or large fixed targets like fortified buildings, command centers, bridges, refineries, airfield and port facilities, power plants etc. JDAM would likely be used more often if defences are lighter and lesser standofff will do. SDB would not work against these kinds of targets that well as it has small blast fragmentation warhead. Of course against large targets with multiple targets with different attributes like airfields, combining JSOW and SDB would be best option.

Dragon029 · by **Dragon029** » 22 Jun 2016, 06:49

popcorn wrote:Looking forward to the next iteration, JSOW-ER featuring a 500Km range. At a targeted unit cost of $350K, a lot of bang for the buck.

https://youtu.be/Z83zXB8j5ow

Any idea what the change in dimensions is?

popcorn · by **popcorn** » 22 Jun 2016, 06:55

Dragon029 wrote:
popcorn wrote:Looking forward to the next iteration, JSOW-ER featuring a 500Km range. At a targeted unit cost of $350K, a lot of bang for the buck.

https://youtu.be/Z83zXB8j5ow

Any idea what the change in dimensions is?

AFAIK the dimensions are unchanged. Vanilla JSOW seems have empty volume to spare for engine and fuel. Also, have read that JSOW had LO as a design criteria though likely not as advanced as JASSM.

Dragon029 · by **Dragon029** » 22 Jun 2016, 12:53

popcorn wrote:
Dragon029 wrote:
popcorn wrote:Looking forward to the next iteration, JSOW-ER featuring a 500Km range. At a targeted unit cost of $350K, a lot of bang for the buck.

https://youtu.be/Z83zXB8j5ow

Any idea what the change in dimensions is?

AFAIK the dimensions are unchanged. Vanilla JSOW seems have empty volume to spare for engine and fuel. Also, have read that JSOW had LO as a design criteria though likely not as advanced as JASSM.

If that's correct then it's going to be an impressive weapon in terms of delivering long range high ordnance.

popcorn · by **popcorn** » 22 Jun 2016, 14:09

Dragon029 wrote:
If that's correct then it's going to be an impressive weapon in terms of delivering long range high ordnance.

Even more so if they can deliver it at the $350K unit cost. AFAIK other AShM alternatives cost at least 2X-3X more.

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 22 Jun 2016, 15:21

popcorn wrote:
Dragon029 wrote:
If that's correct then it's going to be an impressive weapon in terms of delivering long range high ordnance.

Even more so if they can deliver it at the $350K unit cost. AFAIK other AShM alternatives cost at least 2X-3X more.

You get what you pay for.

castlebravo · by **castlebravo** » 22 Jun 2016, 15:38

hornetfinn wrote:
jessmo111 wrote:Does anyone expect the Jsow, to be used, anywhere else but the anti-shipping role? Why carry only 2 1k glide bombs, when you can carry 8 SDB 2 versus a SAM. The SDBs have the same range.[

Yes, when there is need for heavy warhead and standoff delivery, JSOW will likely be the weapon of choice. Targets for it are hard or large fixed targets like fortified buildings, command centers, bridges, refineries, airfield and port facilities, power plants etc. JDAM would likely be used more often if defences are lighter and lesser standofff will do. SDB would not work against these kinds of targets that well as it has small blast fragmentation warhead. Of course against large targets with multiple targets with different attributes like airfields, combining JSOW and SDB would be best option.

Large fixed targets that are too well defended to strike with GBU-31 might be better serviced through tomahawks than through air launched stand off weapons.

ruderamronbo · by **ruderamronbo** » 22 Jun 2016, 16:53

spazsinbad wrote:
Navy's first network-enabled weapon ready for fleet operations
20 Jun 2016 PEO(U&W) Public Affairs NavAir

The Raytheon-built weapon will be launched from F/A-18E/F and F-35A/C aircraft."

PHOTO: "A Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1 impacts a target during a flight test in March 2016 at Point Mugu Sea Test Range, Calif. (U.S. Navy photo)" http://www.navair.navy.mil/img/uploads/ ... 202016.jpg (5.1Mb)

Source: http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fu ... ry&id=6295

It would be odd (stupid?) for the Air Force F-35A to employ a weapon the Service abandoned long ago in favor of the WCMD...

popcorn · by **popcorn** » 23 Jun 2016, 00:47

sferrin wrote:
You get what you pay for.

A bargain? How else to deliver a 500Kmprecision strike at aprojected $350K price point?

arian · by **arian** » 23 Jun 2016, 02:43

JSOW is only used by the Navy. There's been about 4,000+ acquired so far, so not a small number, but it seems JASSM is being acquired at a higher rate. So I'm not sure the services were all too happy with JSOW, as it has been thus far.

Large fixed targets that are too well defended to strike with GBU-31 might be better serviced through tomahawks than through air launched stand off weapons.

At 1/5 the price for far more numerous platforms.