The US Navy is considering developing a version of the Raytheon AGM-154 Joint Stand-off Weapon (JSOW) armed with the British Aerospace Broach penetrator warhead. This follows intensification of interest in the new family of air-launched weapon systems.
Broach is being considered as an alternative to the BLU-111 227kg (500lb) blast fragmentation warhead for the AGM-154C version, which is in development. The US Navy plans to make a final decision by early next year and field the first weapon in 2003.
JSOW has provision for a unitary or Broach warhead, says Capt Bob Wirt, conventional weapons programme manager. "Broach is the preferred warhead-but it all comes down to affordability. BLU-111 is half the cost," he adds.
BAe and Raytheon are being pressed to reduce costs and one option is to make savings by fitting Broach to other weapons. It is a contender for the USAF's Boeing AGM-86 conventional air launched cruise missile conversion programme, but faces competition from the Lockheed Martin advanced unitary penetrator (AUP).
The AGM-154C version will also feature a new autonomous imaging sensor for improved target accuracy. It uses an off-the-shelf General Motors seeker, developed as an infrared sensor for a head-up display in Cadillacs.
Meanwhile, Raytheon is preparing to respond with a powered version of the JSOW to meet an Australian request for an area denial weapon.
The US Navy demonstrated a Williams turbofan-powered version of the weapon four years ago, but does not need to go beyond the weapon's current 64km (40 miles) range.
The initial bomblet-armed AGM-154A version is now in full production.
The AGM-154B uses the same type of seeker as that used by the A, but is equipped with a sensor-fused weapon warhead for use against armoured targets.
Source: Flight International