Submitted by TEAM Public Affairs, PEO (W)

January 16, 2001

The U.S. Navy and Raytheon Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Unitary team began the second phase of captive carry flight tests demonstrating the new Autonomous Targeting Acquisition (ATA) feature last month.

The JSOW Unitary variant incorporates an imaging infrared seeker with embedded ATA software that builds upon the combat-proven standoff capability of the JSOW family of Global Positioning System (GPS) guided weapons. The Unitary ATA enhancement provides the capability to perform target detection, acquisition, and precision tracking functions autonomously, without a man-in-the-loop requirement. The JSOW Unitary weapon is designed for use against a wide variety of blast/fragmentation sensitive targets and provides precision terminal guidance with increased lethality and accuracy beyond the previous JSOW variants.

The captive flight tests are conducted on Raytheon's Convair 580 aircraft using the actual JSOW seeker/guidance hardware and software. The ATA system successfully acquired and tracked a variety of targets near the Raytheon facility in Tucson, Ariz., including buildings, power plant sub stations and airfield targets.

This round of testing follows successful flight tests conducted late last summer that verified the ATA software algorithms and seeker unit performance. The second phase of captive flight testing aboard the Convair aircraft is scheduled to be completed late this month against various targets located on the Naval Air Weapons Center, China Lake, Calif. test ranges.

Incorporation of ATA allows for target discrimination and precise aim-point selection by the F/A-18 pilot during the mission planning phase. The mission planner selects desired impact angle, attack axis, and target aim-point from intelligence target images. The JSOW mission planning software then develops a mission file consisting of a scene-based template that is loaded into the aircraft prior to flight and is subsequently downloaded into the JSOW weapon.

Once launched from the aircraft, the JSOW weapon is guided via a GPS aided inertial navigation system until the ATA feature is automatically employed during the terminal phase of the weapon flight profile. The ATA software correlates the scene-based template contained in the mission file to the gradient image as seen by the imaging infrared seeker and guides the missile to the pre-planned aim-point. Options are being studied to enhance mission utility with target of opportunity capability.

The JSOW Unitary team will conclude its captive flight test series with F/A-18 Hornet testing this summer. Unitary developmental testing will continue into fiscal year 2002, and includes a series of JSOW launches from the F/A-18 aircraft planned for late this year. Low rate initial production is planned for fiscal year 2003.

The JSOW Unitary variant continues to be the number one priority for weapons within the U.S. Navy Fleet Operational Advisory Group. JSOW Unitary (JSOW-C) is currently planned for Navy procurement only and is the third variant in the JSOW family of weapons. The previous two variants are dispenser weapons consisting of the JSOW-A area attack weapon and the JSOW-B anti-armor weapon. The JSOW-A was first used operationally in January 1999 and since has deployed on six Navy aircraft carriers and been fired operationally 66 times from Navy F/A-18 aircraft. JSOW has also completed integration on the F-16 and B-2 aircraft and is planned to be integrated on the B-52, F/A-18E/F, F-15, B-1, and JSF aircraft.