USAF Tests Ducted Ramjet HARM Type Missile

Zephyr · **Joined:** Fri Feb 07, 2003 19:00 pm **Posts:** 763

http://www.f-16.net/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&p=118639

Pictures are at the link. It is called "Higher-Speed Anti-radiation missile Demonstration" and is basically a HARM missile body with variable flow ducted ramjet intakes below the fuselage, to look like a large MBDA Meteor. The missile uses the seeker developed for the AARGM. Performance is mach 3+, 100+ miles. The HARM can do mach 2+ and 80 miles (80 in the lofted, pre-programmed firing mode, other modes are less range).

Maybe this will end up being a follow-on to the AARGM, but that missile isn't even in service yet.

Zephyr

Zephyr · **Joined:** Fri Feb 07, 2003 19:00 pm **Posts:** 763

Additional link:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogscript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3A710a5216-59db-44d3-86ef-9aa5cfecfd90

Pictures:

CAG Hotshot · **Joined:** Tue Mar 11, 2003 18:54 pm **Posts:** 4437

So sad to see the Rhino reduced to a drone...

What is the proposed range of this missle and will it carry the AGM-88 registry?

Zephyr · **Joined:** Fri Feb 07, 2003 19:00 pm **Posts:** 763

CAG Hotshot wrote:

So sad to see the Rhino reduced to a drone...

What is the proposed range of this missle and will it carry the AGM-88 registry?

Quote:

AA 2006 ONR presentation says that the goal of HSAD is a 100 nm-range, Mach 3+ missile for use by the F/A-18 and Joint Strike Fighter. Aviation Week has reported on a Raytheon program to develop a ramjet variant of HARM.

Quote:

The USAF release oddly does not identify the missile, but it looks like a test vehicle for the Office of Naval Research High Speed Anti-Radiation Demonstration (HSAD) program. Atlantic Research Corp. now part of Aerojet, was awarded the contract to provide a variable-flow ducted rocket, a form of solid-fuel ramjet engine, for HSAD in 2002, and it has continued to be funded via earmarks since then, supported by California Republican Rep. Buck McKeon.

HSAD combines the seeker head and guidance electronics of the AGM-88 HARM with a wingless airframe and a ramjet propulsion system.

100 nm + sounds reasonable. The Meteor BVRAAM apparently has a range of 60 nm + and is half the weight of a HARM.... so maybe more fuel in the HARM. I assume this would have the AGM-88 designation if it is based on it. But the opposite has happened with the evolution of the Standard SAM/ABM missiles getting new designations.

CAG Hotshot · **Joined:** Tue Mar 11, 2003 18:54 pm **Posts:** 4437

Zephyr wrote:

CAG Hotshot wrote:

So sad to see the Rhino reduced to a drone...

What is the proposed range of this missle and will it carry the AGM-88 registry?

Quote:

AA 2006 ONR presentation says that the goal of HSAD is a 100 nm-range, Mach 3+ missile for use by the F/A-18 and Joint Strike Fighter. Aviation Week has reported on a Raytheon program to develop a ramjet variant of HARM.

Quote:

The USAF release oddly does not identify the missile, but it looks like a test vehicle for the Office of Naval Research High Speed Anti-Radiation Demonstration (HSAD) program. Atlantic Research Corp. now part of Aerojet, was awarded the contract to provide a variable-flow ducted rocket, a form of solid-fuel ramjet engine, for HSAD in 2002, and it has continued to be funded via earmarks since then, supported by California Republican Rep. Buck McKeon.

HSAD combines the seeker head and guidance electronics of the AGM-88 HARM with a wingless airframe and a ramjet propulsion system.

100 nm + sounds reasonable. The Meteor BVRAAM apparently has a range of 60 nm + and is half the weight of a HARM.... so maybe more fuel in the HARM. I assume this would have the AGM-88 designation if it is based on it. But the opposite has happened with the evolution of the Standard SAM/ABM missiles getting new designations.

Hmmm... I guess I could list it as the AGM-88E

Zephyr · **Joined:** Fri Feb 07, 2003 19:00 pm **Posts:** 763

AGM-88E is the AARGM:

http://acquisition.navy.mil/rda/home/programs/weapons/agm_88e

CAG Hotshot · **Joined:** Tue Mar 11, 2003 18:54 pm **Posts:** 4437

Yes, you are right... And the AGM-88F is the INS/GPS enables counter shutdown capability with an improved seeker...

AGM-88G was already used as well, for an improved missile dev program in 2001...

So most likely it will be AGM-88M, as it has not been used yet...

CAG Hotshot · **Joined:** Tue Mar 11, 2003 18:54 pm **Posts:** 4437

Looks like I was right all along... This missile IS the AGM-88E ...

AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM)

The AARGM (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile) will feature the latest software (software seems to be the cornerstone of the HARM missile) and enhanced capabilities. The AARGM is intended to counter radar shutdown. A passive radar and an active millimeter wave seekers will be installed on the AARGM.

In June 2003, ATK won a $223 million contract for the development of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). The whole program was valued at $1.55 billion ($1.69 billion Sept 2007 estimate).

In November 2005 the Italian Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the joint development of the AGM-88E AARGM missile. Italy was providing $20 million of developmental funding as well as several millions worth material, equipment and related services. The Italian Air Force was expected to procure up to 250 missiles for its Tornado ECR aircraft. Thus flight test program was set to integrate the AARGM onto Tornado ECR's weapon system

AGM-88E AARGM

IOC: November 2010
Production: 2,161
Unitary Cost: USD$870,000
Total Cost: USD$1.7 billion

Also Known As
Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile
HDAM (HARM destruction of enemy air defense attack module)

http://www.deagel.com/library/QF-4-dron ... 00002.aspx

Notice the link at the bottom of the page shoinwg the AGM-88E AARGM as the missile being launched and that it was developed by the USN...

Zephyr · **Joined:** Fri Feb 07, 2003 19:00 pm **Posts:** 763

The test of the ducted ramjet seems to be of a "MARC-290 10" VFDR" mated to a AARGM AGM-88E front end:

http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/6-52704.aspx

The AGM-88E that is entering service about now is the same body as the older HARMs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AGM-88E_HARM_p1230047.jpg
and

Its seems that AARGM is planned to be a continuing Navy/Italy program parallel to or replacing HARM, with further developments. According to Designation Systems: "A long term goal of the AARGM program is the development of an entirely new stealthy airframe, compatible with the internal weapon bays of the F-22 and Joint Strike Fighter."

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-88.html

CAG Hotshot · **Joined:** Tue Mar 11, 2003 18:54 pm **Posts:** 4437

Damn! I cant win! lol...

Ok, so there is the AGM-88C being upgraded to AGM-88Es, and then the AARGM ramjet sustained, but stealthy?

We can simulate stealthy with it being invisible to radar and not showing on RWR...

Zephyr · **Joined:** Fri Feb 07, 2003 19:00 pm **Posts:** 763

As far as I can tell the ramjet test AARGM (HSAD) is not stealthy.

What Designation Systems describes as a stealthy, internal bay compatible missile is just a future goal at the moment. That goal is basically the "Joint Dual Role Air Dominance Missile" program to make a AMRAAM/HARM/AARGM replacement. See:

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-10737.html

I disagree with the first poster in that thread, however. He expects a Northrop Grumman, Lockheed, ATK alliance to make a rocket powered JDRADM, but ATK just tested out a ducted ramjet with the HSAD!!!

CAG Hotshot · **Joined:** Tue Mar 11, 2003 18:54 pm **Posts:** 4437

They definately need the long range the ramjet will provide to counter the new long ranged Rusian and Chinese SAMs...

BTW does the launch of this missile look like it was a hot or cold launch?

The only 2 pics I have found of a meteor launch looks to be a hot launch right off the rail, not cold dropped and then ignited...

Zephyr · **Joined:** Fri Feb 07, 2003 19:00 pm **Posts:** 763

If I'm not mistaken a cold launch capability will have to exist for the Eurofighter fuselage stations. But in those pics I agree that it looks hot off the rail.

CAG Hotshot · **Joined:** Tue Mar 11, 2003 18:54 pm **Posts:** 4437

So it would make sense to have both hot and cold launch versions of the meteor... Also the same for this missile to be launched from the F-22 and F-35...

Or maybe just alter the hardpoints so the missile "appears" below the aircraft and ignites instead, to keep the number of weapons from growing to large...

Zephyr Net

USAF Tests Ducted Ramjet HARM Type Missile

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