Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
US testing of the British Aerospace Royal Ordnance Broach multi-warhead system for the Joint Stand Off Weapon (JSOW) has been completed, but the next step looks uncertain as the US Navy has eliminated funding for an upgraded missile able to penetrate hardened, buried targets.
The Broach is one of four options for the planned AGM-154C unitary warhead version of the JSOW. Lockheed Martin, Matra BAe Dynamics and Rafael are offering kinetic energy penetrators, while the Broach design combines an initial penetrating shaped charge with a secondary follow-through bomb. The USA evaluated the French, Israeli and UK warheads under its foreign comparative test programme.
JSOW developer Raytheon Systems issued a request for information on penetrator warheads in late May, with a decision scheduled for August. Whether the AGM-154C proceeds depends on a US Department of Defense review of the Navy's decision to eliminate funding for the 7,800 weapons planned. This could be reversed, as it would push up the price of the US Air Force's AGM-154B submunition version of the JSOW.
The Navy, therefore, is trying to drive down the AGM-154C's cost by one-third, to $200,000. This could work against the Broach, which is more expensive than competing warheads, but BAe argues that its greater penetration capability means that fewer JSOWs will be required to destroy the target set.
A Broach warhead is being considered also for the USAF's AGM-86C Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missile (CALCM). The first dynamic test of the warhead in a CALCM airframe was conducted in the UK in late May, perforating a concrete target 20% thicker than anything previously defeated by a 450kg-class penetrator warhead.
CALCM developer Boeing is conducting a parallel evaluation of the Broach and Lockheed Martin's Advanced Unitary Penetrator (AUP). flight tests from a B-52 are planned for next year. The Broach offers twice the penetration capability, BAe says, but is considered higher risk than the AUP.
Under a memorandum of understanding signed in February, the Broach will be considered also by the USA for penetrator versions of the Advanced Tactical Missile System, Tactical Tomahawk, Stand-Off Land Attack Missile - Expanded Response and, potentially, the Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missile.
The UK/US agreement also covers an exchange of analytical tools which are designed to improve modelling of the Broach warhead.
Source: Flight International
