ORLANDO, Fla., June 4 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin reports a risk reduction milestone in development of a long-range anti-ship missile for U.S. aircraft.
Four consecutive tests verified the simulated LRASM can break through an MK 41 Vertical Launch System canister without damage to the missile's composite structure, air data probe or coatings, it said.
"These test results verified that the LRASM vehicle can break through the VLS cover without damage at realistic flight speeds," said Scott Callaway, LRASM surface launch program manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Lockheed Martin is investing in the shipboard integration of LRASM and we are confident it will meet all the requirements for the U.S. Navy."
The LRASM is an autonomous, precision-guided anti-ship standoff missile armed with a penetrator and blast-fragmentation warhead. It features a multimodal sensor, weapon data link and an enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System to destroy specific targets within a group of ships. It is in development with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Office of Naval Research.
Lockheed Martin said it is offering surface-launched and air-launched variants of the weapon.
