Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




MISSILE NEWS
ATK Executes Successful AARGM Firing
by Staff Writers
Minneapolis MN (SPX) May 18, 2009


During the missile flight profile, the AARGM identified and distinguished a pop-up priority emitter target from other secondary targets and altered its guidance. Then the AARGM's unique capability to overcome emitter shut-down tactics was tested by terminating the priority target's emissions.

Alliant Techsystems, the U.S. Navy, and the Italian Air Force successfully fired an AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake on April 13, 2009.

The firing marks the fifth consecutive successful AARGM live fire in the program's System Development and Demonstration (SD and D) phase and continues AARGM's progression toward Independent Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT and E) commencing summer 2009.

ATK began work on the AARGM program SD and D contract in June 2003 and the program remains on-schedule to enter service with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in 2010.

The AARGM was fired from a U.S. Navy FA-18C Hornet in a scenario designed to test the missile's ability to identify, locate, track and prioritize multiple emitter targets in-flight; and its ability to function against shut-down emitter tactics.

During the missile flight profile, the AARGM identified and distinguished a pop-up priority emitter target from other secondary targets and altered its guidance. Then the AARGM's unique capability to overcome emitter shut-down tactics was tested by terminating the priority target's emissions.

In response to the emitter shut-down, AARGM utilized its GPS/INS navigation to continue guidance to the primary target location. In the terminal flight phase, the missile employed active Millimeter Wave (MMW) radar to locate and guide on the primary target.

During the final seconds of missile flight, the AARGM transmitted a Weapon Impact Assessment (WIA) message reporting weapon information to support Battle Damage Assessment (BDA). The missile then directly impacted the target.

"We are very proud of the versatility, reliability, and lethality the AARGM system has demonstrated throughout the test program. This is another example of ATK's ability to deliver on its commitment to affordable precision for our U.S., Italian, and Coalition customers," said Jack Cronin, President, ATK Mission Systems.

"AARGM's entry into Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) this past year, coupled with ATK's continued development success, ensures our customer's vision of fielded supersonic Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (DEAD) and multi-mode strike capability."

ATK participated in the missile firing as a member of the U.S. Navy's Integrated Product Team, led by the Direct and Time Sensitive Strike Program Office (PMA-242).

The test was led by members from the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division - China Lake and included Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Three One (VX-31), the National Reconnaissance Office, the Naval Air Systems Command, and the Italian Air Force.

"Our international, government-industry team delivered another successful test result. It is a tribute to the professionalism of the entire development and test team," said Capt. Larry Egbert, the U.S. Navy's program manager for Direct and Time Sensitive Strike programs (PMA-242).

"We are now one important step closer to entry into Operational Evaluation and delivery of game-changing DEAD capability to our warfighters."

With this firing, AARGM has now achieved twelve consecutive successful live fires throughout development. The AARGM development team has demonstrated system maturity and reliability in over 200 Beech King Air flight tests and 58 Captive Carriage FA-18 sorties flown against a wide array of targets.

.


Related Links
Alliant Techsystems
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








MISSILE NEWS
Raytheon Develops Anti-Surface Warfare Capability For Tomahawk Block IV Missile
Tucson AZ (SPX) May 07, 2009
Raytheon has developed a technology plan to enhance moving target capabilities for the combat-proven Tomahawk Block IV missile. The technology will enable naval forces to effectively engage moving maritime surface targets and conduct anti-surface warfare missions. "This capability will allow the warfighter to attack a new tactical target set from more than 900 nautical miles (1035 statue ... read more


MISSILE NEWS
USA Could Lose New Moon Race

Lawmakers To Honor Space Pioneers

Indian Lunar Orbiter Sends Back Images To Establish Water Presence On Moon

US scientists plan greenhouses on the Moon

MISSILE NEWS
Spirit Has Good And Bad News

GMV To Build First All-Terrain Vehicle For Space For ESA

Move On To Mars

Spirit rover stuck in Martian soil: NASA

MISSILE NEWS
NASA To Test World's Largest Rocket Parachutes For Ares I

Obama to interview Bolden for NASA chief

Russia Charges NASA 51 Million Dollars For Soyuz Seats

Protecting Lunar Outposts From Dangerous Radiation

MISSILE NEWS
China Launches Yaogan VI Remote-Sensing Satellite

China Able To Send Man To Moon Around 2020

China To Launch 15 To 16 Satellites In 2009

Macao Donates 14 Million Yuan To Mainland Space Program

MISSILE NEWS
Russian Space Freighter Docks With ISS

Russia Successfully Launches Space Freighter To ISS

New dinner table top priority as ISS expands

Russian Space Freighter Progress M-66 Undocks From ISS

MISSILE NEWS
ILS Proton Launches Indostar II/Protostar II Satellite

ESA En Route To The Origins Of The Universe

Ariane 5 Rolls Out To The Launch Zone

SSTL And ISC Kosmotras Celebrate Anniversary Of First Dnepr Launch

MISSILE NEWS
Let The Planet Hunt Begin

The Crowded Universe

Creating The Astro-Comb To Locate Earth-Like Planets

Some planets may fall into their stars

MISSILE NEWS
An Entrepreneur's Dream - Space Debris

An Urgent Call To Action On Space Debris

Chinese space debris passes shuttle uneventfully: NASA

Boeing Completes PDR For Tracking And Data Relay Satellite Series K-L




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement