http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/109382/jassm-scores-15-out-of-16-in-reliability-flight-tests.html

Lockheed Martin's Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Achieves Successful Reliability Flight Tests




(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued October 26, 2009)


ORLANDO, Fla. --- The Lockheed Martin Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) successfully completed Lot 7 Reliability Assessment Program flight tests with a record of 15 successes out of 16 flights, as officially scored by an independent test data scoring board.

The tests were conducted by the U.S. Air Force at White Sands Missile Range, NM, using B-52 and F-16 aircraft against a wide range of targets in various operational scenarios.

"It's very satisfying to see the results of the Air Force/Lockheed Martin team's intense and persevering efforts," said Col. Stephen Demers, JASSM Program Manager and 308th Armament Systems Group Commander. "I couldn't be more proud of our JASSM team or the impressive missile we've built for the warfighter."

"This successful flight test series verifies JASSM as a reliable weapon system, and underscores the Air Force's and Lockheed Martin's commitment to the program and to the aircrews who would use these missiles," said Alan Jackson, JASSM program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "We are very confident in the missile and worked closely with our suppliers to drive quality into every phase of the missile's manufacturing process. No other system provides the capability of JASSM."

The tests pave the way for a signing of the Lot 8 production contract, allowing Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force to provide JASSM's critically important capabilities to warfighters. JASSM was certified to Congress as essential to national security.

A 2,000-pound class weapon with a penetrator/blast fragmentation warhead, JASSM cruises autonomously in adverse weather, day or night, using a state-of-the-art infrared seeker in addition to the anti-jam GPS to find a specific aimpoint on the target. Its stealthy airframe makes it extremely difficult to defeat.


Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

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Considering the price of these babies, anything less would have been unacceptable.



When I was young I used to pray for a bike, then I realized that God doesn't work that way, so I stole a bike and prayed for forgiveness.

Well, it is good to see the program back on track.. just a couple years ago its reliability was only around 50% and it was almost cancelled.


The truth is out there - you just may not like hearing it.

a combination of a JDAM and tomahawk?