Lockheed Martin says the extended-range version of its stealthy JASSM cruise missile performed well in a recent flight test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., giving it a record of six successes in six flights. In a release Wednesday, the company said a B-1B bomber released the missile, which then flew a preplanned course to collect data and subsequently destroyed the designated target. Randy Bigum, Lockheed’s vice president of strike weapons, said this test confirmed the JASSM-ER’s “ability to be employed” from the B-1’s aft weapons bay and completed collection of data that “may be used to fine-tune navigation algorithms.” Flight testing will continue through mid-2010 in preparation for operational testing in 2011. JASSM-ER is expected to be available for combat on the B-1 in early 2013. Its range is more than 500 nautical miles, more twice the reach of the baseline JASSM.
Why Russia Shot Down Its Own S-70 Drone Over Ukraine
Oct. 8, 2024
The wreckage of one of Russia’s newest stealth drones is now in the hands of the Ukrainian forces—a potential intelligence windfall for that country and its partners—after a Russian fighter chased, then shot it down over Ukrainian territory Oct. 5.