Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
LOCKHEED MARTIN and McDonnell Douglas (MDC) have been selected by the US Air Force to develop contenders for the $3 billion Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) programme. Proposals submitted by Hughes, Texas Instruments and a Raytheon-Northrop Grumman team were rejected.
The winning contractors were selected for the 24-month programme-definition and risk-reduction phase of the joint USAF-US Navy project. MDC Aerospace has received $126.5 million and Lockheed Martin $110.9 million for the project.
One of the two contractors will be picked in 1998 to begin the 32-month engineering-and-manufacturing-development phase, followed by production of between 2,400 and 4,000 missiles, starting in 2000.
The MDC offering is based on an airframe which was developed originally for the classified Have Slick programme. The Lockheed Martin bid, is also thought to be based on a previously "black" missile project.
MDC is also competing for the UK's conventional-stand-off-missile (CASOM) programme with a derivative of its JASSM offering, the Grand SLAM Plus (Flight International, 19-25 June).
The Lockheed Martin proposal also draws on some of the technology on offer for the CASOM as part of the Daimler Benz/Bofors KEPD-350 bid.
The JASSM, is intended to be carried, by a variety of US bombers and fighters, to attack high-priority targets at long ranges. The low-observable conventional cruise missile would fly autonomously at low level. The Pentagon has specified that the unit cost must be less than $700,000, and the goal is $400,000. Both bids came in at less than $500,000.
MDC's JASSM concept was developed in the company's "Phantom Works" division. Suppliers include GEC-Marconi, Harris, Honeywell, Rockwell and Teledyne.
The design uses subsystems from other weapons developed by the company, including folding wings from the Stand-off Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response and actuators and guidance set from the Joint Direct Attack Munition. A key feature will be autonomous target-recognition, using an imaging-infra-red (IIR) terminal seeker.
Lockheed Martin's design also uses an IIR seeker and a Teledyne power plant. Joseph Antinucci, president of the electronics and missile unit, declines to name suppliers other than Lockheed Martin's Tactical Aircraft Systems and Skunk Works, and engine maker Teledyne. The Skunk Works is in charge of the stealthy airframe.
USAF conventional-strike-programme executive officer Harry Schulte says that selection of the same firm to produce the CASOM and JASSM would be "desirable", for cost savings.
Antinucci says that selection of MDC for the CASOM might give his rival an unfair advantage during a JASSM shortlisting.
"The competitive issue would have to be addressed by the US Government and the two contractors," he adds.
Source: Flight International
