The Navy last week said it completed the first free-flight testing of the Joint Standoff Weapon C-1 recently, verifying the weapon’s characteristics and performance requirements from pre-flight to target impact.
The JSOW, developed by Raytheon [RTN], is an air-to-ground, medium-range precision guided, glide weapon that employs a GPS/inertial navigation system and an infrared seeker. The C-1 variant adds a Link 16 weapon data link for in-flight target updates and upgraded seeker software to autonomously target and strike a specific aim point on a moving ship, making the JSOW C-1 the first Network Enabled Weapon in the military’s inventory and the first with the capability to precisely strike moving maritime targets.
“The accomplishment of this free-flight test has advanced the program closer to providing a standoff weapon that the aircrew can provide target updates after weapon separation,” said Lt. Cmdr. Samuel Hanaki, JSOW deputy program manager.
After the weapon achieved Link 16 net-entry, it was launched and began receiving in-flight target updates via the weapon data link on the moving target, the service said. It successfully acquired the MST autonomously and guided to the predetermined aim point on the ship. The target for the test was an unmanned 260-foot long Mobile Ship Target (MST).
According to a Navy statement, this test was the first of two planned developmental test free-flights. Following the developmental test phase, the program will enter an integrated test series of free-flights prior to operational testing.
Initial operating capability of the JSOW C-1 is scheduled for 2013, the Navy said.