A Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) test team and its industry partner Raytheon Company conducted yet another successful test of its AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) program this week at the NAVAIR Western Test Range Complex.

This event marked the third successful free-flight demonstration of the JSOW Unitary (JSOW-C) warhead variant using waypoint navigation and autonomous target acquisition (ATA) capability. An F/A-18 C/D pilot of test squadron VX-31, released the AGM-154C while flying at 14,000 feet and 0.75 Mach. The weapon then navigated autonomously through several waypoints to begin searching for the vertical target approximately 12 nautical miles from the launch point. Aircraft separation, mid-course guidance followed by target acquisition and subsequent impact were completed as predicted. This is the last in a series of initial seeker development and ATA algorithm tests.

Unique to this test event, the target was a vertical structure that is representative of targets such as dams and building walls. Achieving impact for this sort of target greatly stresses the JSOW Unitary seeker. "JSOW Unitary continues to meet or exceed performance expectations," said Capt. Robert Wirt, JSOW program manager. "This is yet another example of the platinum standard exercised across NAVAIR. The capability demonstrated with this test will further enable absolute combat power for the warfighter."

The JSOW-C incorporates a Raytheon-developed uncooled, long-wave infrared seeker with ATA algorithms, thus providing the Navy with a launch-and-leave weapon with standoff precision strike capability. The JSOW-C also will be the first U.S. weapon to incorporate the BROACH penetration multiple warhead, developed by the United Kingdom's BAE.

The Joint Standoff Weapon is a low-cost family of glide weapons using a common delivery vehicle for three different payloads. The JSOW-A is in production and delivers the BLU-97 Combined Effects Bomblets for area targets. It has been used successfully in Iraq and Kosovo. The JSOW-B variant carries the BLU-108 Sensor Fused Weapon bomblets for an anti-armor capability and is in low rate production. The JSOW-A and B versions are being produced for the U.S. Navy and Air Force for use on the F/A-18, F-16, F-15, B-1, B-2 and B-52 aircraft. The latest version, the JSOW-C, is in development and will begin production in 2003 for the U.S. Navy.

The JSOW program is managed by the Program Executive Office for Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation (PEO (W)). To learn more about PEO (W), log on to the website at www.strikenet.js.mil.

CAPTION: A Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Unitary (JSOW-C) warhead variant using waypoint navigation and autonomous target acquisition (ATA) capability is configured on an F/A-18 C/D test aircraft prior to its third successful free-flight demonstration.