Lockheed Martin has successfully launched the U.S. Navy's Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, or LRASM, from a newly designed topside canister.
The demonstration was conducted at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and showed the vertical-launched missile could also be fired from on-deck angled launchers.
During the test, the LRASM, its Mk-114 booster and booster adapter used the same launch control and launch sequencer software currently used by the Mk-41 Vertical Launch System.
"This successful flight test demonstrates Lockheed Martin's readiness to answer the U.S. Navy's call for lethal, longer range anti-surface warfare capabilities as part of the 'Distributed Lethality' concept," Scott Callaway, Subsonic Cruise Missile director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said in a press release. "This test also validates the flexibility and versatility of LRASM, as it proved it can be successfully fired from VLS and non-VLS surface platforms."
Lockheed Martin said the surface-launched LRASM leverages the successful JASSM-ER air launched cruise missile heritage, providing an early operational capability for the Navy's offensive anti-surface warfare Increment I requirement.
Lockheed Martin earlier this week won a U.S. Air Force contract for 23 air-launched variants of the LRASM.
Lockheed receives contract for anti-ship missile production
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control was awarded an $85.5 million contract modification for the production of Long Range Anti Ship Missiles for the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense announced on Monday.
The modification provides for the manufacture of 23 LRASM Lot 1 missiles. The work will be performed in Orlando, Fla., with a projected completion date of Sept. 29, 2019. … read more
