TUCSON, Ariz., April 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company
(NYSE: RTN) and the U.S. Navy successfully completed the final free
flight in the integrated testing phase for the Joint Standoff
Weapon C-1.
During the development test, JSOW C-1 demonstrated its
effectiveness against moving maritime targets, a crucial capability
against current and future surface warfare threats. The weapon is
on track to start operational testing (OT) this spring and is
slated for delivery to the fleet in 2016 after the successful
completion of OT.
"As we pivot to the Pacific, our capability to employ networked
precision strike across our kill chains and engage in offensive
anti-surface warfare is key to maintaining our strategic dominance
in that theater," said Capt. Jaime
Engdahl, the Navy's Precision Strike Weapons (PMA-201)
program manager at Patuxent River. "I am proud of our Navy and
Raytheon team's commitment to providing these advanced capabilities
to the warfighter."
During the test, the aircrew executed a pre-launch handoff
between two F/A-18E/F aircraft followed by the weapon's release at
a distance of 35 nautical miles to the target. The two Super
Hornets again transferred control of the weapon, then sent a
post-launch retargeting command to reroute the JSOW C-1 from the
initial target ship to a higher priority target.
While en route to the target ship, the JSOW C-1 provided real
time weapon in-flight track and bomb hit indication status messages
back to the controlling aircraft via the link-16 network. The
multiple communication exchanges between the aircraft and the
weapon were seamless and culminated in a successful engagement of a
small maneuvering ship target.
"JSOW C-1 will be the U.S. Navy's first air-launched, net
enabled weapon to provide warfighters with the vital capability to
engage both stationary land-based and maneuvering sea-based
targets," said Celeste Mohr,
Raytheon's JSOW program director. "The affordable JSOW is critical
to countering today's advanced, emerging threats."
JSOW C-1 is designed to provide fleet forces with robust and
flexible battlefield effects against high value targets at launch
ranges of up to 70 nautical miles from both fourth and fifth
generation fighters. F-35A/C integration is currently funded for
JSOW C-1, with external integration on the F-35B scheduled in Block
4.
About JSOW
JSOW is a family of combat proven, low-cost air-to-ground
weapons that employ an integrated GPS-inertial navigation system,
with highly capable guidance algorithms; and is the only U.S.
standoff weapon in production to fit internally in the Joint Strike
Fighter. More than 5,000 JSOWs have been produced since 1997, with
more than 400 employed in combat. JSOW C prosecutes stationary land
targets, and uses an imaging infrared seeker for increased accuracy
in the terminal phase. The JSOW C-1 variant adds the two-way Strike
Common Weapon Datalink enabling additional target sets with
critical moving maritime target capability.
About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23
billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and
innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil
markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning
93 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission
systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing;
effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence
systems, as well as cyber security and a broad range of mission
support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit
us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @raytheon.
Media Contacts
Ashley
Mehl
+1.520.794.5142
rmspr@raytheon.com
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SOURCE Raytheon Company