The Boeing Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) has completed operational test and evaluation (OPEVAL), paving the way for full rate production in May.
A US Navy test team conducted the critical evaluation at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, between last November and January this year. During the trials, the SLAM-ER scored direct hits in four out of five flight tests, says the USN. The OPEVAL grades the SLAM-ER as operationally effective and suitable, says Boeing.
Last August, the USN elected to keep the weapon in low-rate initial production because of less than satisfactory performance in flight testing. It had to repeat a portion of OPEVAL to test product enhancements, which included datalink hardware modification and software improvements, to make it easier for pilots to find the target.
Several items, including the missile test-set battery and navigation computer components, were found to be unreliable and replaced.
Boeing is to upgrade the USN's inventory of 700 SLAMs, modifying 56 examples a year. SLAM-ER improvements over the baseline SLAM, include planar wings for improved range, an upgraded warhead, to increase penetration, and software improvements.
Source: Flight International