Lockheed Martin's Joint Air-To-Ground Missile (JAGM) team has successfully completed an extensive series of static, tower-based and captive-carry flight tests of its tri-mode seeker in a limited dirty battlefield/countermeasure rich environment at Redstone Arsenal, AL. The tests successfully validated the capability and technological maturity of the Lockheed Martin tri-mode seeker, a critical element to a low-risk, on time, on-budget fielding of the JAGM system.

JAGM's three seeker modes are semi-active laser, imaging infrared and millimeter wave radar. The seeker was tested against both active and passive countermeasure systems including white and red phosphorous, fog oil, smoke, millimeter wave chaff, flares, camouflage netting and mobile camouflage systems.

Test results demonstrated all three sensor modes successfully communicated and worked collaboratively to effectively address and defeat each countermeasure and obscurant. The test series was preceded by an array of successful captive-carry tests conducted by Lockheed Martin in clean, non-dirty-battlefield flight environments, during both favorable and adverse weather conditions including sun, rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow.

"We tested our tri-mode seeker against a variety of countermeasures and obscurants in a very challenging and realistic battlefield environment, and the seeker performed precisely as designed," said Hady Mourad, JAGM program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "We are exceptionally pleased with the results. JAGM will provide the right weapon at the right time in any environment."

The U.S. Army's Joint Attack Munition Systems Project Office in Huntsville, AL, is leading the JAGM Technology Development program to replace the currently fielded HELLFIRE, Longbow, Airborne TOW and Maverick missiles for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. JAGM provides the next-generation air-to-ground missile for employment from the services' rotary-wing, fixed-wing and unmanned platforms.

Threshold aviation platforms include the U.S. Army's AH-64D Apache attack helicopter, the Army's Extended Range Multi-Purpose (ERMP) Sky Warrior unmanned aerial system (UAS), the U.S. Marine Corps' AH-1Z Super Cobra attack helicopter, and the U.S. Navy's MH-60R Seahawk armed reconnaissance helicopter and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet jet fighter. Numerous Objective platforms are also in consideration, including the tri-service Joint Strike Fighter program. The initial operational capability of JAGM on the AH-64D, AH-1Z and F/A-18E/F is scheduled for 2016, and the IOC for the MH-60R and ERMP is 2017.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin