ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. company Lockheed Martin and partners have finished design reviews on the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile Technology Development Program.
The preliminary design reviews were completed successfully on the JAGM rocket motor, with test data supporting the single-motor solution, and on the U.S. Navy's rotary- and fixed-wing launchers, with data supporting successful AH-1Z Viper (Cobra), MH-60R Seahawk and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet platform integration efforts, Lockheed said.
"These successful PDRs are major milestones in the development of the JAGM missile and provide a high degree of confidence that JAGM will provide greater capabilities than existing weapons and will do so more affordably," said Frank St. John, director of Close Combat Systems for Tactical Missiles/Combat Maneuver Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
"The PDRs confirmed the benefits of rigorous testing and the successful development path the team is taking to deliver this much needed precision, adverse weather, low-collateral-damage weapon."
The news release said the Aerojet propulsion team confirmed the JAGM single-motor solution of its Roxel U.K.'s minimum-smoke propellant grain technology solution.
In addition to the successful PDR, two pre-flight readiness tests verified that the JAGM motor is certified for missile flight testing.
Marvin Engineering and Lockheed confirmed the successful development of prototype launcher hardware that meets Super Hornet, Viper and Seahawk platform integration requirements.
The quad-rail Navy rotary-wing launcher will carry JAGM on the Viper and the Seahawk, and the triple-rail Navy fixed-wing launcher will carry JAGM on the Super Hornet.
