JSOW Block IIC weapon on target

CHINA LAKE, Calif., May 8 (UPI) -- The newest variant of Raytheon's Joint Standoff Weapon successfully destroyed land targets during back-to-back flight testing by the U.S. Navy.

The AGM-154 Block IIC bombs, launched from a height of 25,000 feet by F/A-18F fighters, flew pre-planned routes and destroyed simulated caves, Raytheon said.

"These test shots further validate JSOW's ability to deliver decisive battlefield effects against one of the most challenging land targets facing our warfighters," said Celeste Mohr, JSOW program director for Raytheon Missile Systems. "Naval aviators employed JSOW's firepower in a tactically realistic cave scenario that included heavy radio frequency countermeasures.

"The result was two direct hits -- it's all about sharpening the edge."

The AGM-154 JSOW is a precision-guided glide bomb for use from ranges as much as 70 nautical miles from a target. It uses a Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System and imaging infra-red and datalink for terminal homing.

Additional details on the testing and the Block II C variant were not immediately available.