FUTURE F-35 AARGM UPDATES

So if some other country needs a weapon to fit into the B that the US doesn't need to fit in the B isn't that technically their problem? Why reduce weapon performance to make it fit? Doesn't seem like a problem the US needs to worry about.

I guess SPEAR will partially cover it but a little bit more weapon compatibility with B models would be helpful for the RAF/RN, and it would mean more sales.

I wonder if kickstarting a modified MALD/MASSM variant might be worthwhile for SEAD/DEAD?

Definitely. Stick a hellfire warhead in a MALD-V, job done.*

*Probably more complicated than that but you know what I mean.

You get what you pay for. TOR and Pantsir operators have never experienced a turkey shoot before.

The DARPA and AFRL persistent area dominance program is interesting for this very reason. Releasing dozens on autonomous mini drones similar to the Switchblade would be an effective solution against the S400's point defenses. Cheap and numerous enough to swamp any defense.

The DARPA and AFRL persistent area dominance program is interesting for this very reason. Releasing dozens on autonomous mini drones similar to the Switchblade would be an effective solution against the S400's point defenses. Cheap and numerous enough to swamp any defense.

There was talk of a 1,000km variant of ATACMS and even an SLIRBM program, that would also be useful. Especially if they could be loaded with cluster munition warhead.

http://defensetech.org/2013/10/22/army- ... e-systems/

Or even mastercard:

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Success ... e_999.html

The DARPA and AFRL persistent area dominance program is interesting for this very reason. Releasing dozens on autonomous mini drones similar to the Switchblade would be an effective solution against the S400's point defenses. Cheap and numerous enough to swamp any defense.

There was talk of a 1,000km variant of ATACMS and even an SLIRBM program, that would also be useful. Especially if they could be loaded with cluster munition warhead.

http://defensetech.org/2013/10/22/army- ... e-systems/

Or even mastercard:

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Success ... e_999.html

A 2-stage ATACMS with guided submunitions would be the way to go.

A 2-stage ATACMS with guided submunitions would be the way to go.

I don't know if there's any need to guide the submunitions if the missile itself is accurate enough and trying to guide hypersonic submunitions is probably tricky/expensive.

They could fix the issues with BAT as ATACMS could carry 13 of them.

They could fix the issues with BAT as ATACMS could carry 13 of them.

BAT submunitions are subsonic. The ones I'm thinking of would not be. More like mini-RVs.

A 2-stage ATACMS with guided submunitions would be the way to go.

I don't know if there's any need to guide the submunitions if the missile itself is accurate enough and trying to guide hypersonic submunitions is probably tricky/expensive.

The point is to disperse the submunitions outside S-400s range so they can't just hit the bus. And you don't want to just shotgun it from that far, also the submunitions would be low in number so if you did that you're likelihood of hitting anything would be small. We're talking maybe 40 20lb submunitions.

Anyway, in the present, AARGM is demonstrating it's potential. AARGM-ER launched from the F-35 internal weapon's bay will be much more lethal.
http://www.defencetalk.com/orbital-atks ... hit-65951/
Orbital ATK’s Upgraded AARGM Missile Scores Direct Hit
Orbital ATK, Inc. and the U.S. Navy successfully launched and scored a direct hit against an advanced enemy air defense radar system during a live fire test of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) Block 1 Software Upgrade at China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center on Sept. 22, 2015.

The AARGM Block 1 Software Upgrade shot was launched from a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet in a complex scenario designed to test the missile’s capability against an advanced air defense radar threat. Prior to launch, AARGM successfully detected, identified and located the target using its anti-radiation homing receiver. This information was relayed directly to the pilot who then launched the AARGM in Target of Opportunity mode. The missile’s millimeter wave radar located the target and performed terminal guidance resulting in a direct hit on the target...

“This is the second live fire test of the AARGM Block 1 Software Upgrade,” said Gordon Turner, vice president of programs, business development and strategy for Defense Electronic Systems. “Another key attribute of the Block 1 upgrade capability, engagement of moving ships, was successfully demonstrated a few weeks earlier further validating the versatility and capability of the weapon.”

AARGM-ER(Courtesy James Drew)

The AARGM-ER's IOC is planned for 2023. Since it's just a motor & fuselage update based on the warhead, seeker, avionics, etc from a Block1 AARGM, it looks doable in that timeframe.

The AARGM-ER's IOC is planned for 2023. Since it's just a motor & fuselage update based on the warhead, seeker, avionics, etc from a Block1 AARGM, it looks doable in that timeframe.

If this were the 60s 2018 would be a reasonable IOC.

AARGM-ER looks nothing like the original.

AARGM-ER looks nothing like the original.

11.5" motor instead of a 10" one
Strakes instead of large midbody fins
Probably 1 to 1.5 feet shorter.

AARGM-ER looks nothing like the original.

11.5" motor instead of a 10" one
Strakes instead of large midbody fins
Probably 1 to 1.5 feet shorter.

I think he meant this one:

I hope it's not 1 - 1.5' shorter. That would be a fat tub.