Lockheed Martin Develops New AGM-158 Family Missile
The American company Lockheed Martin has begun developing a new air-launched cruise missile, the AGM-158XR. This missile will be a development of previous developments in the JASSM family and will feature an increased flight range. It is expected that the process of creating the project and testing the finished missile will take several years.
Extreme range
On September 16, Lockheed Martin presented an official announcement of its new project. As is often the case, the beginning was filled with pompous statements about the desire for peace and readiness to help allies. Then the company moved directly to the new project and some of its details.
The new air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) has been named AGM-15XR (eXtreme Range). However, the developer has not yet specified what range should be considered extreme.
The XR project is based on the existing AGM-158B JASSM-ER missile. In the past, it passed all the necessary tests and was accepted into service by the combat aviation The United States and some other countries. It is assumed that belonging to an existing successful family will help the new ALCM in the competitive struggle.
The new project involves the use of already proven development methods, technical solutions and components. In particular, the design is carried out in a fully digital environment and also immediately takes into account the features of future production. The release of the new rocket will be carried out on the existing production line.
Lockheed Martin believes that such approaches to development and production will significantly reduce the time required to create a project and will simplify mass production of missiles in the future. In addition, a reserve will be created for further upgrades by replacing certain units and modules of the missile.
Although the developer mentions the possibility of speeding up all the work, the exact timeframe for its implementation has not yet been named. All future activities may take several years, and will probably be completed only by the end of the current decade.
Rocket family
It is worth noting that the recently announced AGM-158XR ALCM will be the fourth product in its family. Lockheed Martin has a lot of experience in creating such a weapons and can successfully apply it in a new project.
The first in this family was the AGM-158A JASSM (Joint Standoff Missile) cruise missile. This missile was developed in the mid-nineties, but it entered service only in the late 370s. It was an air-to-surface munition with a range of 450 km and a XNUMX-kilogram warhead.
A few years after the AGM-158A, the AGM-158B JASSM-ER extended-range cruise missile entered service. While retaining the basic design features and combat capabilities of its predecessor, this missile was significantly heavier and could fly 925 km.
In the production of JASSM / JASSM-ER / LRASM missiles
In 2018, the US combat aviation adopted the AGM-158C LRASM anti-ship missile, developed on the basis of the JASSM-ER. It features special instrumentation and a warhead adapted to destroy ships. The flight range of this missile remained at the level of the AGM-158A - 370 km.
A new missile is currently being developed based on the AGM-158B, and the goal of this project is again to increase the flight range. However, it is not yet known how much this parameter will be increased.
New product
Lockheed Martin has already presented the general appearance of the new missile and revealed some of its features. At the same time, key characteristics remain undisclosed. Nevertheless, even on the basis of the available data, it is possible to form an idea of the new product.
The "extreme range" missile resembles the basic JASSM-ER in appearance and design. It is a cruise missile with an elongated fuselage and characteristic contours that reduce its radar signature. The ALCM is equipped with a folding wing and the same tail.
The rocket's cross-section appears to remain the same. The fuselage is lengthened to accommodate additional fuel tanks. This should result in an increase in launch weight. The wing design may also need to be modified to accommodate the new weight and dimensions.
Installation of the warhead
The missile will be equipped with an unspecified turbojet engine. It is possible that they will use the Williams F107-WR-105 from the AGM-158B missile again. They may also find another option with higher performance. Regardless of the engine type, the missile will be subsonic, like its predecessors.
The AGM-158XR will have an "extreme" flight range, but the developers do not name specific figures. Foreign specialized press, citing their sources, writes about the possible achievement of a range of 1000 nautical miles - more than 1600 km. However, it is unknown whether this information corresponds to the real goals of the project.
The new XR missile will likely retain the control systems of the serial product. Thus, the AGM-158B is equipped with an autopilot that uses data from satellite and inertial navigation systems. At the final stage of the flight, an infrared homing head is activated.
Lockheed Martin mentions that the new missile will be equipped with a 1000-pound warhead. This could be a penetrating high-explosive warhead like the WDU-42/B, borrowed from other missiles in the family. The possibility of developing a new warhead cannot be ruled out either.
The new missile will be carried by the same tactical and strategic aircraft that can now use the AGM-158A/B/C. In particular, these will be the latest 5th generation fighters. Despite the increase in weight and dimensions, the new missile should not impose any special requirements on the carrier.
Development paths
Thus, the new AGM-158XR missile will be similar to its predecessors in many ways, but will significantly surpass them in flight range. This approach to setting goals and developing technical specifications promises to bring a number of advantages.
AGM-158B JASSM-ER missile in the US Air Force
Overall, the new project is an update of the existing design with the development or replacement of some components. Lockheed Martin will have to create a longer and more voluminous airframe equipped with larger fuel tanks. It may be possible to get by with just upgrading the existing units, but it cannot be ruled out that some designs will have to be developed from scratch, taking into account new requirements, loads and other factors.
The increase in mass will likely require the introduction of a new engine with higher performance characteristics. It will compensate for the increase in mass and at the same time increase the flight range.
The control system will most likely not require significant changes. Some devices can be replaced with more modern analogues, and the software updated. With all this, the principles of operation and guidance of the missile should remain the same.
The standard warhead of the previous missiles may be retained. However, it is possible that a completely new warhead or several variants of the combat load will be developed. In this case, the prospective air-launched cruise missile will receive the currently relevant modularity.
Deep upgrade
Within the framework of the AGM-158XR project, Lockheed Martin does not plan to create a completely new missile, but will focus on a deep modernization of the existing model. This approach to the development of a new product is quite justified, since it will significantly improve the key parameter of the ALCM, without increasing the complexity and cost of the project.
Given the reduced complexity of the project, it can be expected that Lockheed Martin will keep its promises and actually present a finished AGM-158XR missile in a few years. This product will probably attract the attention of the Pentagon and foreign customers. The missile will replenish the arsenals of combat aircraft and complement other models of its family. However, the exact dates for the appearance of the finished missile and its entry into service remain unknown.
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