The US Navy has conducted a second demonstration flight of the Land Attack Standard Missile (LASM), which is expected to be its near term choice as a ship-launched fire support weapon. The LASM proposal involves converting surplus Standard anti-aircraft missiles into surface to surface weapons by adding global positioning system guidance. Demonstrations have focused on proving it can perform a vertical dive on to the target and that the warhead is effective. The Navy has yet to decide, but it is expected to select the LASM as a near term weapon, with the longer-term solution likely to be Lockheed Martin's NATACMS.
Source: Flight International