Lockheed demos deck-launched variant of LRASM

July 27 (UPI) -- 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.