The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $350 million contract for production support of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile low-observable long range cruise missiles and all of its variants.

Lockheed Martin will provide lifecycle support related to the JASSM, the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile JASSM-Extended Range variants and any JASSM support concerning upgrades, production and logistics, according to a contract announcement Monday from the Department of Defense.

The award is an increase to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity contract and is expected to run through April 2022.

The JASSM is a long-range air-launched cruise missile with a radar-evading airframe for penetrating enemy airspace. JASSM carries infrared seeker and GPS guidance to select and strike programmed fixed targets with a 1,000-pound penetrating blast warhead.

The standard model can be mounted on most Air Force and Navy fighters and bomber aircraft, while the JASSM-Extended Range is currently deployed on the B1B Lancer heavy supersonic bomber.

The ER version is being adapted for use with other aircraft, including the F-35 Lightning II, with the current version being too long for the stealth aircraft's internal bays. The JASSM is deployed by the United States and several allied nations, with Poland and Australia among them.

The XR, or Extreme Range, version of the missile is anticipated to have a range of 1,200 miles and carry a one-ton penetrating blast warhead. It would be deployed by heavy bombers and some strike aircraft for stand-off strikes against hardened targets in contested airspace.

The LRASM is an anti-ship version of the JASSM and has multi-modal sensors and a GPS guidance system with anti-jamming protection.

It is capable of detecting and selecting pre-programmed enemy vessels out of groups of ships without outside guidance using a form of artificial intelligence, providing greater standoff ranges in excess of 230 miles outside of friendly sensor networks.

The LRASM is currently under testing with several successful trials and is expected to be widely deployed by the U.S. and allied nations over the next few years

Related Links
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

BAE to receive $45.9M for Mk 41 Vertical Launch System engineering
Washington (UPI) Nov 5, 2018
The U.S. Navy has awarded BAE Systems Land & Armaments $45.9 million for mechanical design and engineering services for the MK41 Vertical Launch System aboard two classes of vessel for the United States, as well as allied navies. The services to be provided under the contract, announced Friday by the Department of Defense, include mechanical, cable and missile canister equipment alongside engineering support and necessary materials such as composites, resin, and carbon fiber. The purchas ... read more