An experimental Quick Bolt missile has been fired from a US Navy Boeing F/A-18 Hornet at the Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) test range at China Lake, California, a further step towards replacement of Raytheon's AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile.During the test, Quick Bolt identified, tracked and navigated to a radar target that had stopped radiating while the missile was in flight. Receiving updated targeting information en route, it transmitted battle damage information just before impact and destroyed the target.
Since the early 1990s, the USN has been seeking a HARM successor with a hard-kill capability against non-emitting air-defence systems as well as off-board targeting and weapons impact assessment.
The latest phase builds on the recent development of the ATK Missiles Systems advanced anti-radiation guided missile (AARGM) multi-mode seeker. This combines a passive system, active millimetre wave radar and a global positioning/inertial navigation system to find the target even when its radar has been switched off.
The USN/National Reconnaissance Office Quick Bolt advanced concept technology demonstration is intended to add an embedded national tactical receiver and a weapons impact assessment transmitter so off-board targeting data can be received and battle damage data transmitted.
Tests have included five AARGM-equipped HARM firings and two Quick Bolt shots.
Source: Flight International
