Raytheon has completed extensive lab testing on a new extended range variant of the combat-proven AMRAAM air to air missile. The tests ...
Raytheon has completed extensive lab testing on a new extended range variant of the combat-proven AMRAAM air to air missile. The tests validate that AMRAAM-ER (extended range) can be integrated and employed from the NASAMS launcher.
Designed specifically for ground-based air defense, AMRAAM-ER will be combined with AN/MPQ-64 F1 Sentinel radar and the NASAMS launcher to provide increased air defense protection in the medium range air defense market.
The new surface-launched missile will be even faster and more maneuverable than the current AMRAAM based system, The state-of-the-art defense system can quickly identify, engage and destroy current and evolving enemy aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicle or emerging cruise missile threats.
Raytheon is integrating the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile rocket motor into AMRAAM-ER, enabling the new missile to intercept targets at longer ranges and higher altitudes. Completion of lab testing allows Raytheon to move forward with launcher and system integration scheduled to begin mid-2015 followed by a live firing demonstration. Raytheon is on schedule to flight test AMRAAM-ER before the end of the year.
NASAMS is the latest and most modern Medium Range Air Defense system. In partnership with KONGSBERG, Raytheon has delivered more than 70 fire units to seven countries. It is the most commonly used Short and Medium Range Air Defense System in NATO.
Fielded in Norway for more than a decade, NASAMS is operationally deployed in the U.S. National Capital Region, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, and an undisclosed country. It is also in production for Oman under a contract received last year.
The Sentinel radar is the premier air surveillance and target acquisition/tracking sensor for the U.S. Army Cruise Missile Defense Systems program. It is a highly mobile, three-dimensional, phased-array, ground-based air defense radar system that operates in the X-band. It automatically detects, tracks, identifies, classifies and reports airborne threats, including helicopters, high-speed attack aircraft, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
