David
Thu January 16, 2003 11:24pm
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AGM-154A Joint Standoff W
Description: The AGM-154A Joint Standoff Weapon or JSOW is currently under development by Raytheon [Texas Instruments] for the Air Force and the Navy. The AGM-154A (Formerly Advanced Interdiction Weapon System) is intended to provide a low cost, highly lethal glide weapon with a standoff capability. JSOW family of kinematically efficient, air-to-surface glide weapons, in the 1,000-lb class, provides standoff capabilities from 15 nautical miles (low altitude launch) to 40 nautical miles (high altitude launch). The JSOW will be used against a variety of land and sea targets and will operate from ranges outside enemy point defenses. The JSOW is a launch and leave weapon that employs a tightly coupled Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Navigation System (INS), and is capable of day/night and adverse weather operations. The JSOW uses inertial and global positioning system for midcourse navigation and imaging infra-red and datalink for terminal homing.
The JSOW is just over 13 feet in length and weighs between 1000-1500 pounds. Extra flexibility has been engineered into the AGM-154A by its modular design, which allows several different submunitions, unitary warheads, or non-lethal payloads to be carried. The JSOW will be delivered in three variants, each of which uses a common air vehicle, or truck, while substituting various payloads.
Weapon planning will be accomplished using the Navy's Tactical Automated Mission Planning System (TAMPS) and the Air Force Mission Support System (AFMSS). Aircraft-to-weapon communications will be via the MIL-STD-1760 interface, making inflight programming/targeting possible, as well as preflight data loading. The weapon will be deployed from both carrier- and land-based aircraft, employing insensitive munitions technology. The JSOW will be employed on the following aircraft: F/A-18A/B, C/D, and E/F; AV-8B; F-14A/B and /D; F-16C/D; F-15E; F-117; B-1B; and B-52.
History: Texas Instruments (TI) Defense Systems & Electronics (DS&E) began Engineering and Manufacturing Development (E&MD) of JSOW in 1992. In December 1995, the Navy and Texas Instruments completed Development Test IIB (DT-IIB) at the Naval Air Weapon Center, (NAWC) China Lake and Point Mugu, California, with 10 for 11 successful flights of the AGM-154A BLU-97 dispenser variant.
On January 6, 1997, it was announced that Texas Instruments Defense Systems & Electronics was being purchased by Raytheon Company, Lexington, Massachusetts. The U.S. Navy began Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL) testing in February 1997, after successful development testing and initial operational testing programs. The test program resulted in a 42 for 44 success rate or greater than 96% successful JSOW launches. The Air Force began Development Test & Evaluation (DT&E) flight testing of JSOW on the F-16 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in March 1996. Air Force testing of the baseline JSOW was hindered by less than desired progress in the area of F-16/JSOW integration.
The AGM-154A (Baseline variant) system entered Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) on schedule. The $65.9 million LRIP contract was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), in Arlington, Virginia, for 111 JSOW AGM-154A/baseline systems. LRIP for the other two variants are scheduled for FY99 and FY00, respectively. On 29 December 1998 Raytheon Systems was awarded a $133,881,355 firm-fixed-price contract to provide funding for the Full Rate Production Lot 1 of JSOW AGM-154A and the Low Rate Initial Production Lot I of the JSOW AGM-154B (AGM-154A: Navy - 328 and Air Force - 75) (AGM-154B: Navy - 3 and Air Force - 21). Work is expected to be completed by March 2001.
JSOW test articles were deployed in 1997 aboard the USS Nimitz and are currently deployed on the USS Eisenhower. JSOW's initial introduction to the operational commands was on the Navy/Marine Corps F/A-18 in mid-1998. As of late 1997 a number of remaining JSOW test assets were on an interim deployment for further operational evaluation. USS Carl Vinson 's air wing first employed the JSOW during combat over southern Iraq on January 25, 1999.
On December 29, 1999 Raytheon Systems Company, Tucson, AZ, was awarded a $109,573,867 modification to previously awarded contract N00019-99-C-1014 to exercise an option for the full rate production Lot 2 of the Joint Standoff Weapon AGM-154A for the U.S. Navy (414) and U.S. Air Force (74). Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and was expected to be completed by March 2002.
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David
Fri January 17, 2003 4:10pm
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A B-1B Lancer, assigned t
A B-1B Lancer, assigned to the 77th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., takes off from Royal Air Force Fairford, England, May 3, 1999. Aircraft and personnel from the 77th were deployed to England as part of the 2nd Air Expeditionary Group supporting NATO Operation Allied Force.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 9:13am
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A Lockheed Martin Astrona
A Lockheed Martin Astronautics Atlas IIAS rocket successfully launched the European W3 communication satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit on Monday, April 12, 1999, from Complex 36, Pad A, at Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla. It was the second successful Atlas launch of 1999 from Cape Canaveral Air Station and the 43rd consecutive successful flight. The Atlas IIAS, designated AC-154 for the W3 mission, is one of two Atlas II family configurations presently launching satellites for commercial and government customers worldwide. The Atlas II series, including the II, IIA and IIAS, has achieved 100 percent operational success since the introduction of each launch vehicle.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 9:13am
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Looking like a Roman cand
Looking like a Roman candle, the exhaust from an Air Force Delta II rocket with the Mars Polar Lander aboard lights up the clouds as it hurtles skyward. The rocket was launched on 3 January 1999 at 3:21:10 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral Air Station. The lander is a solar-powered spacecraft designed to touch down on the Martian surface near the northern-most boundary of the south polar cap, which consists of carbon dioxide ice. The lander will study the polar water cycle, frosts, water vapor, condensates and dust in the Martian atmosphere. It is equipped with a robotic arm to dig beneath the layered terrain. In addition, Deep Space 2 microprobes, developed by NASA's New Millennium Program, are installed on the lander's cruise stage. After crashing into the planet's surface, they will conduct two days of soil and water experiments up to 1 meter (3 feet) below the Martian surface, testing new technologies for future planetary descent probes. The lander is the second spacecraft to be launched in a pair of Mars Surveyor '98 missions. The first is the Mars Climate Orbiter, which was launched aboard a Delta II rocket from Launch Complex 17A on Dec. 11, 1998.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 9:41am
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Airman Alicia Guenther, A
Airman Alicia Guenther, Airmen First Class Raphael Jacobs and Nicholas Caines, 30th Airlift Squadron maintenance people, Yokota Air Base, Japan, give a C-9 Nightingale a good scrub Nov. 22, 1999. A paint safe detergent is used to wash the aircraft once every quarter, the wash also prevents corrosion. The C-9 is a twin-engine, T-tailed, medium-range, swept-wing jet aircraft used primarily for Air Mobility Command's aeromedical evacuation mission. The Nightingale is a modified version of the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation's DC-9. It is the only aircraft in the inventory specifically designed for the movement of litter and ambulatory patients. The C-9A's airlift capability to carry 40 litter patients, 40 ambulatory and four litter patients, or various combinations thereof, provides the flexibility for Air Mobility Command's worldwide aeromedical evacuation role.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:16pm
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Soldiers of the U.S. Army
Soldiers of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne wait to load into a U.S. Air Force C-141 Starlifter at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., on Jan. 20, 1999. The soldiers are participating in Large Package Week, a joint exercise involving Air Force aircraft operating from Pope and soldiers of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne, at Fort Bragg, N.C.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:16pm
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Senior Airman Jaime Dusic
Senior Airman Jaime Dusick, 632nd Air Mobility Support Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, sprays anti-icing fluid on a C-17 Globemaster III Nov. 18, 1999, to keep the aircraft flying in freezing winter temperatures.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:27pm
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An F-16C Fighting Falcon
An F-16C Fighting Falcon from the 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy, lands after flying a mission against targets in Yugoslavia on Wednesday, April 7, 1999. The mission was part of NATO Operation Allied Force. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multirole fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:27pm
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Senior Airman Jean Perez,
Senior Airman Jean Perez, an avionics specialist, monitors a Laser Destination Calibration test through the heads-up display of an F-16C Fighting Falcon on Monday, April 26, 1999, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Perez is deployed in support of Operation Allied Force.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:27pm
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Weapons loaders from the
Weapons loaders from the 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy, prepare to launch their F-16s for a NATO Operation Allied Force mission, April 3, 1999. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multirole fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:27pm
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A U.S. Air Force aircrew
A U.S. Air Force aircrew from the 351st Air Refueling Squadron from RAF Mildenhall, U.K., fly a KC-135R Stratotanker over the English Channel on March 31, 1999. The tanker, belonging to the 100th Air Expeditionary Wing is transiting to a refueling track to support NATO Operation Allied Force.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:27pm
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An F-16C Fighting Falcon
An F-16C Fighting Falcon of the 52nd Fighter Wing returns from flying a mission against targets in Yugoslavia, April 2, 1999. Members of the 52nd from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, are deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, to support NATO Operation Allied Force.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:28pm
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An A-10 Thunderbolt II fr
An A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, takes off on a mission against targets in Yugoslavia, April 5, 1999. Members of the 81st Fighter Squadron are deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, in support of NATO Operation Allied Force. The A-10 and OA-10 Thunderbolt IIs are the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces. They are simple, effective and survivable twin-engine jet aircraft that can be used against all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:28pm
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Technical Sgt. Brian Clar
Technical Sgt. Brian Clark, a KC-135R crew chief with the 100th Aircraft Generation Squadron at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, works on the base flightline on Friday, April 16, 1999. Clark, of Miami, Fla., is deployed to England in support of Operation Allied Force.
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David
Sat January 18, 2003 12:28pm
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F-15E Strike Eagles from
F-15E Strike Eagles from the 494th Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, U.K., return from flying a mission against targets in Yugoslavia on March 28, 1999. Members of the 494th Fighter Squadron are deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, supporting NATO Operation Allied Force.
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