Upgraded High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile offers enhanced precision
TUCSON, AZ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and the U.S. Air Force have completed the latest in a series of successful flight tests for the HARM Control Section Modification (HCSM), the newest product in the HARM missile inventory, an advanced electronic warfare weapon.
An upgrade to existing HARM missiles, HCSM dramatically increases effectiveness against even the most modern enemy radar while reducing the possibility of collateral damage.
During the test mission, an F-16 aircraft fired an HCSM AGM-88F against an emitter located outside a pre-planned zone of exclusion. A similar radiating emitter within the ZOE attempted to confuse the HCSM so it would engage the decoy target. Using its new GPS/inertial measurement unit (IMU) capability, HCSM successfully impacted the correct target.
"HCSM provides the warfighter an effective, affordable solution that improves the probability of hit, defeats counter-HARM tactics and controls where the missile can and cannot fly," said Mike Jarrett, vice president of Raytheon's Air Warfare Systems.
The U.S. Air Force will make a fielding decision once the test series is complete, and declare the new HCSM capability operational. The Air Force awarded Raytheon the HCSM contract in 2012. The missile was recently cleared for full-rate production.
The AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile is a key battlefield element to suppress or destroy surface-to-air missile radars, early warning radars and radar-directed air defense artillery systems. HARMs have made hostile airspaces worldwide safer for U.S. and allied warfighters for more than three decades. The missile resides in the inventories of eight countries.
- More than 4,000 HARMs have been employed in combat.
- HCSM adds GPS/IMU navigation accuracy, giving HARM the ability to engage time-critical targets.
- HCSM has new features that allow it to engage a wide range of modern SAMs, are resistant to counter-HARM tactics, and reduces the risk of fratricide or collateral damage.
Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity 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 cybersecurity and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @raytheon.