USAF considers new anti-ship weapon.

"Joe Delphi" wrote in message
news:6yOVe.240305$E95.101677@fed1read01...
wrote in message
oups.com...

Harpoon has been around for awhile now, though newer versions are an
improvement
over the original. Can Harpoon still hack it against modern air
defenses?


Yes, Harpoon has been in the Fleet since at least the late 1980s,

Actually, since the seventies. First test was in '72, followed by production
beginning in '75 and initial operational capability in '77 (surface
launched), '79 (air launched), and '81 (sub launched).

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-84.html

but it is
still a formidable weapon.

A lot of upgrades have kept it competitive so far.

Not sure what a "JASSAM-variant" would offer
that would be significantly better than Harpoon.

H'mmm...better range and stealth perhaps?


What do you mean by "modern air defenses". Are you talking about the
automatic close in weapon systems that shoot out 1 zillion depleted
uranium
rounds per second?

Air defenses are layered. If you can kill the launch platform before it can
get its own offensive shot off, then you don't have as much need for the
CIWS defenses. Or if you can get enough of a radar return to allow targeting
of the incoming missile with one of your own air defense missiles (which is
why a stealthy attack missile might be advantageous).

Not sure who has those systems other than the United
States

Lots of countries do these days.

or how Harpoon or JASSAM would perform against that type of defense.

Harpoon is still viable, but the base system is getting rather long in the
tooth. Having an ability to engage a well defended target from longer range,
and using munitions that are not as readily detectable by the bad guy's
terminal defense sustems, would probably be considered a good thing.

Brooks



JD