PATUXENT RIVER, Md., June 16 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy's Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile successfully completed its first test on an EA-18G Growler.
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command said the captive carry flight test was conducted in parallel with an ongoing AARGM Integrated Test & Evaluation phase on the FA-18 C/D aircraft.
"AARGM is a very capable weapon performing a complex mission," said Navy Cmdr. Chad Reed, deputy program manager for Anti-Radiation Missiles within the Direct and Time Sensitive Strike program office.
"VX-31 and VX-9 have done a superb job of carrying and testing the weapon on FA-18C/Ds as well as Super Hornets.
"AARGM has the potential to be a superb compliment, a force multiplier, in fulfilling current Growler missions," he said.
A complement to the existing AGM-88C High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile AARGM provides the warfighter with a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile to be carried on the FA-18C/D, and Italian air force Tornado electronic countermeasures/reconnaissance aircraft.
"AARGM has demonstrated a much greater accuracy than our existing HARM inventory in striking hostile emitters," Reed said. "The weapon is specifically designed to increase our warfighting capabilities in neutralizing enemy air defenses and will provide aircrews with an additional tool for the electronic attack mission."
