cruise missile flight range

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• Cruise Missile Basics

What is a cruise missile?

Cruise missiles, although similar to ballistic missiles in some regards, provide an alternate means to deliver a lethal payload rapidly and accurately to a target. Cruise missiles differ from ballistic missiles in that they fly towards their target at lower altitudes, remaining within the Earth’s atmosphere throughout their trajectory. Cruise missiles are defined as “an unmanned self-propelled guided vehicle that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path and whose primary mission is to place an ordnance or special payload on a target.” [1] Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned control-guided helicopters or aircraft can be included in this definition [2] , but will not be discussed on this page.

The cruise missile has its beginnings in World War I, when the U.S. Army developed the Kettering Bug, an unmanned aerial bomb designed to strike targets beyond the range of artillery and too dangerous for piloted aircraft. However, the Kettering Bug was never used in combat. [3] Instead, the modern cruise missile originates more from the V-1 Flying Bomb used by the Germany in the last months of World War II. [4]

Launch Platforms

Cruise missiles are capable of being launched from multiple ground, air, sea and submarine platforms. Both fighter and long-range bomber aircraft are capable of carrying and launching cruise missiles. [5] On the ground, cruise missiles are most commonly launched by road-mobile systems due to the inherent advantages of mobility, but they can also be launched from fixed platforms. [6]

Russian warships in the Caspian Sea launch Kalibr cruise missiles towards targets inside Syria.

At sea, various surface ships and submarines can launch cruise missiles. Submarines are capable of launching while surfaced or submerged using torpedo fixtures or vertical launch tubes. [7] In April 2010 Kontsern-Morinformsistema-Agat, a Russian company, began marketing a version of the Russian Kalibr cruise missile housed in and capable of being launched from a standard shipping container. [8] This would allow any vehicle capable of carrying a standard shipping container to become a discreet platform from which to launch cruise missiles. [9]

Propulsion and Flight

Cruise missiles utilize jet engines as their primary method of propulsion. Most cruise missiles are subsonic and use Turbofan and Turbojet engines. While less common, supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles utilize Ramjet and Scramjet engines. [10] Some also use rocket motor propulsion as a booster in the first phase of flight [11]  or to accelerate to supersonic speeds in the terminal phase. [12]

Cruise missiles can fly to their targets at varying altitudes as long as they remain within the atmosphere. The trajectory of most remains close to the Earth’s surface, sometimes skimming just meters above the ground. Their low flight path makes it much harder for most radar and sensor systems to detect the missile, unless the radar or sensor system is airborne and directed towards the ground. [13] Some cruise missiles will fly only at high altitudes and dive sharply down once they reach their target. Flying at high altitude can extend the range of the missile because it’s more fuel-efficient than flying at lower altitudes. However, this also makes the missile more susceptible to missile defense systems since today’s radars and sensors are typically positioned to detect and track high altitude threats. [14] Cruise missiles can also mix their flight trajectory between high and low altitude in order to get the benefits of both. In this instance, cruise missiles will typically fly at a high altitude early in their flight to help extend their range, but as they approach their target, or missile defenses, they will fly down to a lower sea skimming/terrain hugging altitude to help it evade detection and defenses. [15]

Flight test of Pakistan’s Ra’ad cruise missile.

Cruise missiles can use multiple guidance methods in order to accurately place their ordinance on the desired target and avoid missile defense systems. One of the first methods used by cruise missiles was inertial guidance, which is still used today and allows the missile to fly along a flight path programmed prior to launch. [16] Another guidance method is terrain contour matching (TERCOM), which compares a terrain map to the current terrain the missile is flying over to ensure the missile is flying on the correct path. [17] Some use GPS systems, which require connection to either GPS or GLONASS satellite system, but can help ensure the missile follows the correct flight path and strikes the final target using specific coordinates with a high degree of accuracy. [18]

Other guidance methods are primarily used in the terminal phase of flight to increase accuracy. One is a laser guided system which uses a sensor to detect its target painted by a laser, however this can be unreliable because dust and smoke can interfere with the laser or the missile may not always be able to see the laser or painted target. [19] Another terminal guidance method is TV guidance, in which an operator uses a camera in the nose of the missile to visually identify and manually guide the missile to the target in its final phase. This method also gives the operator the option to abort the strike in the final phase if an anomaly is detected. [20]  A radar seeker is also used in the nose of some missiles to identify and/or keep the missile on target in the terminal phase. These radar seekers use either passive radar, which detect radar emissions of their target, or active radar, which emit their own radar to detect their target. [21] Infrared (IR) guidance – directing the missile towards heat emitting objects, such as engines [22] – may also be used by cruise missiles in the terminal phase. [23] However, because of its simplicity, IR guidance cannot differentiate between friendly, adversarial, or extraneous IR signals in a crowded battlefield, and is usually used in conjunction with other guidance systems. [24] The last guidance system used by cruise missiles is Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC), which uses a camera in the missile to find the desired target and match it to a stored image using an image correlator. [25]

Cruise missiles are typically armed with conventional or nuclear warheads, but can also be equipped with chemical or biological warheads. [26] The warhead weight and yield can vary widely, depending on the specific cruise missile and its mission.

[1] “Cruise Missiles.” Federation of American Scientists. http://fas.org/nuke/intro/cm/

[3] “Kettering Bug.” UAVGLOBAL. http://www.uavglobal.com/kettering-bug/ ; “War Machines: Cruise Missile.” National Geographic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD8Kr0f1tEY

[4] Hickman, Kennedy. “World War II: V-1 Flying Bomb.” About Education. http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/artillerysiegeweapons/p/v1.htm

[5] N.R.P. “Explained: How Cruise Missiles Work!” Defencyclopedia. https://defencyclopedia.com/2014/08/01/explained-how-cruise-missiles-work/

[8] Stott, Michael. “Deadly New Russian Weapon Hides in Shipping Container.” Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-weapon-idUSTRE63P2XB20100426

[9] Lewis, Jeffrey, Nikolai Sokov. “Sokov on Russian Cruise Missiles.” Arms Control Wonk. http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/207801/sokov-on-russian-cruise-missiles/

[11] Brain, Marshall. “How Cruise Missiles Work.” How Stuff Works. http://science.howstuffworks.com/cruise-missile.htm

[12] N.R.P. “Explained: How Cruise Missiles Work!” Defencyclopedia. https://defencyclopedia.com/2014/08/01/explained-how-cruise-missiles-work/

[22] Kopp, Carlo. “Heat-Seeking Missile Guidance.” Air Power Australia. http://ausairpower.net/TE-IR-Guidance.html

[23] N.R.P. “Explained: How Cruise Missiles Work!” Defencyclopedia. https://defencyclopedia.com/2014/08/01/explained-how-cruise-missiles-work/

[25] Brain, Marshall. “How Cruise Missiles Work.” How Stuff Works. http://science.howstuffworks.com/cruise-missile.htm

[26] “Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat.” Federation of American Scientists.   http://fas.org/irp/threat/missile/naic/part02.htm ; Norris, Robert S., Hans M. Kristensen. “Nuclear Cruise Missiles.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. http://bos.sagepub.com/content/63/6/60.full

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How Cruise Missiles Work

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Tomahawk cruise missiles frequently appear in the news because they are the U.S. weapon of choice for a variety of quick-strike operations. With all of the missiles in the U.S. arsenal, have you ever wondered why cruise missiles seem to come up so often?

In this edition of HowStuffWorks , we will look at cruise missiles so that you can understand what they are, how they operate and why they are ideal for certain scenarios.

A cruise missile is basically a small, pilotless airplane . Cruise missiles have an 8.5-foot (2.61-meter) wingspan, are powered by turbofan engines and can fly 500 to 1,000 miles (805 to 1,610 km) depending on the configuration.

A cruise missile's job in life is to deliver a 1,000-pound (450-kg) high-explosive bomb to a precise location -- the target. The missile is destroyed when the bomb explodes. Since cruise missiles cost between $500,000 and $1,000,000 each, it's a fairly expensive way to deliver a 1,000-pound package.

Cruise missiles come in a number of variations (see the links at the end of the article for more information) and can be launched from submarines , destroyers or aircraft.

When you hear about hundreds of cruise missiles being fired at targets, they are almost always Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from destroyers.

Cruise missiles are 20 feet (6.25 meters) long and 21 inches (0.52 meters) in diameter. At launch, they include a 550-pound (250-kg) solid rocket booster and weigh 3,200 pounds (1450 kg).

The booster falls away once it has burned its fuel. The wings, tail fins and air inlet unfold, and the turbofan engine takes over.

This engine weighs just 145 pounds (65 kg) and produces 600 pounds of thrust burning RJ4 fuel. The fuel load is 800 to 1,000 pounds (about 450 kg) of fuel at launch, or approximately 150 gallons (600 liters). The missile has a cruising speed of 550 mph (880 kph).

The hallmark of a cruise missile is its incredible accuracy. A common statement made about the cruise missile is, "It can fly 1,000 miles and hit a target the size of a single-car garage." Cruise missiles are also very effective at evading detection by the enemy because they fly very low to the ground (out of the view of most radar systems ).

Four different systems help guide a cruise missile to its target:

• IGS - Inertial Guidance System
• Tercom - Terrain Contour Matching
• GPS - Global Positioning System
• DSMAC - Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation

The IGS is a standard acceleration-based system that can roughly keep track of where the missile is located based on the accelerations it detects in the missile's motion ( click here for a good introduction). Tercom uses an on-board 3-D database of the terrain the missile will be flying over. The Tercom system "sees" the terrain it is flying over using its radar system and matches this to the 3-D map stored in memory. The Tercom system is responsible for a cruise missile's ability to "hug the ground" during flight. The GPS system uses the military's network of GPS satellites and an onboard GPS receiver to detect its position with very high accuracy.

Once it is close to the target, the missile switches to a "terminal guidance system" to choose the point of impact. The point of impact could be pre-programmed by the GPS or Tercom system. The DSMAC system uses a camera and an image correlator to find the target, and is especially useful if the target is moving. A cruise missile can also be equipped with thermal imaging or illumination sensors (as used in smart bombs ).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do cruise missiles navigate to their target, what advancements have been made in cruise missile technology, lots more information, related articles.

• How Stinger Missiles Work
• How Sidewinder Missiles Work
• How Smart Bombs Work
• How MOAB Works
• How Patriot Missiles Work
• How Stealth Bombers Work
• How Apache Helicopters Work
• How F-15s Work
• How Airplanes Work
• How Gas Turbine Engines Work
• How Radar Works
• How GPS Receivers Work
• How Rocket Engines Work

More Great Links

• USAF Fact Sheet: AGM-86B/C Missiles
• U.S. navy Fact File: Tomahawk Cruise Missile
• BBC News: NATO's firepower: The cruise missile
• Time.com: Tomahawk Cruise Missile
• Analysis: Tomahawks, Submarines and the F-111

Launch systems

• Arleigh Burke Class (AEGIS) Guided Missile Destroyers, USA
• SSN Los Angles Class Attack Submarine, USA - U.S. subs that launch cruise missiles
• SSN Astute Class Attack Submarine, UK - Royal Navy subs that launch cruise missiles
• B-52H Stratofortress Long-Range Multi-Role Bomber, USA
• B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, USA

Miscellaneous

• Williams F107-WR-101 Turbofan Engine
• Digital Imagery Workstation Suite (DIWS) - generates the Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC) reference scenes

Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article:

• Missiles of the World
• The United States

JASSM / JASSM ER

Jassm / jassm er at a glance.

JASSM Development

The JASSM employs a low-observable airframe designed to defeat various targets, including enemy air defenses. The missile’s low-profile airframe is particularly important given the proliferation of sophisticated air defenses such as the S-300 (and newer variants). The JASSM-ER will eventually incorporate a weapons data link (WDL) into the missile allowing for course corrections after launch. 4 This is a critical upgrade for road-mobile and maritime targets.

In 2018, the USAF initiated development of a further extended variant designated the AGM-158D. Known as the JASSM-XR, or “Extreme Range,” it can range approximately 1,800 km. Deliveries are planned to start in January 2024. 5

Specifications

The JASSM is fitted to the B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit, B-52H Stratofortress, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C/D, F/A-18C/D, and possibly later the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The B-1B and F-15E can also equip the upgraded JASSM-ER.

Service History

In April 2018, the United States used JASSM in combat for the first time, targeting Syria’s Barzah Research Development Center, which manufactured chemical weapons for the Assad government. The strike included 19 JASSM-A missiles. 17

• “Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile,” Selected Acquisition Report, Defense Acquisition Management Information Retrieval, U.S. Department of Defense, April 16, 2014, http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/Reading_Room/Selected_Acquisition_Reports/14-F-0402_DOC_38_JAASMDecember2013SAR.PDF
• “AGM-158 (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile), United States of America,” Air Force Technology, http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/agm-158-jassm-standoff-missile/.
• “Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile,” Selected Acquisition Report, Defense Acquisition Management Information Retrieval, U.S. Department of Defense, April 16, 2014, http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/Reading_Room/Selected_Acquisition_Reports/14-F-0402_DOC_38_JAASMDecember2013SAR.PDF.
• Brian W. Everstine, “USAF to Start Buying ‘Extreme Range’ JASSMs in 2021,” Air Force Magazine, February 14, 2020, https://www.airforcemag.com/usaf-to-start-buying-extreme-range-jassms-in-2021/.
• “AGM-158,” in IHS Jane’s Weapons: Strategic 2015-2016, ed. James C. O’Halloran (United Kingdom: IHS, 2015), 214-216.
• “AGM-158 (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile), United States of America,” Air Force Technology, http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/agm-158-jassm-standoff-missile/
• “AGM-158: Lockheed’s Family of Stealthy Cruise Missiles,” Defense Industry Daily, September 8, 2016, http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/agm-158-jassm-lockheeds-family-of-stealthy-cruise-missiles-014343/; “JASSM,” Lockheed Martin, seen on May 17, 2021, https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/jassm.html.
• Thomas Newdick, “Five JASSM Stealth Missiles Have Been Loaded On An F-15E Strike Eagle For The First Time,” The Drive , May 11, 2021, https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40559/five-jassm-stealth-missiles-have-been-loaded-on-an-f-15e-strike-eagle-for-the-first-time.
• “AGM-158: Lockheed’s Family of Stealthy Cruise Missiles,” Defense Industry Daily.
• Rachel S. Cohen, “Congress Suggests JASSM-ER Bulk Buy,” Air Force Magazine, December 18, 2019, https://www.airforcemag.com/congress-suggests-jassm-er-bulk-buy/.
• “AGM-158: Lockheed’s Family of Stealthy Cruise Missiles,” Defense Industry Daily, June 17, 2020, http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/agm-158-jassm-lockheeds-family-of-stealthy-cruise-missiles-014343/.
• Missile Defense Project, “JASSM Deployed to South Korea,” Missile Threat, Center for Strategic and International Studies, June 28, 2017, last modified June 15, 2018, https://missilethreat.csis.org/jassm-deployed-south-korea/.
• Kyle Mizokami, “The Pentagon’s New Strike Missile Just Saw Its First Combat,” Popular Mechanics, April 17, 2018, https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a19843076/syria-attack-jassm-er-new-long-range-strike-missile/.
• Brian W. Everstine, “JASSMs Used to Level Baghdadi’s Compound in Syria,” Air Force Magazine, October 28, 2018, https://www.airforcemag.com/JASSMs-Used-to-Level-Baghdadis-Compound-in-Syria/.

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‘Cheap’ Long-Range Cruise Missile Designs To Be Tested By Air Force

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 3, 2024 2:10 PM EDT

8 minute read

Four companies are now set to design, build, and flight test new low-cost cruise missile concepts for the U.S. Air Force within the next seven months. A core goal is also to demonstrate new technologies and techniques to enable the rapid scaling up of production. The U.S. military has a clear and now long-standing desire for cheap and highly producible stand-off munitions . Weapons like this will be particularly relevant in future high-end conflicts, such as one against China in the Pacific, where there could be a need to prosecute tens of thousands of targets with precision and do so in an economical manner.

The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), in cooperation with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Armament Directorate (AFLCMC/EB) announced today that Anduril Industries , Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. , Leidos subsidiary Dynetics , and Zone 5 Technologies had been picked to take part in the Enterprise Test Vehicle (ETV) project. DIU’s main job is to help the U.S. military leverage new and improved commercial technologies. AFWERX , an Air Force technology incubator situated within the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), has also been involved in the ETV effort. DIU says U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) are also participating as “collaborators and evaluators.”

The ETV project will help “identify and prototype commercial and dual-use technology solutions for an enterprise test vehicle that demonstrates modularity for subsystem upgrade testing,” according to a press release DIU put out today. “The technology will also serve as a foundation for affordable high-rate production.”

“To enable future design improvements and rapid integration of subsystems, prototypes are utilizing an open systems architecture reference,” the release adds. “Capable of deployment en masse through multiple launch methods, ETVs create an overwhelming dilemma for any defending adversary.”

Specific details about the four competing designs are limited, but renderings from Integrated Solutions for Systems and Zone 5, seen earlier in this story, show relatively traditional stealthy-looking air-launched cruise missile concepts.

Zone 5’s ETV submission is very reminiscent, at least externally, of Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile family of cruise missiles. The company is separately involved in the development of another powered air-launched munition concept called Cargo Launch Expendable Air Vehicles with Extended Range (CLEAVER) for the Air Force. It’s unclear what, if any, relationship the company’s ETV design has to CLEAVER.

The rendering from Dynetics, seen below, shows a munition that looks very much like a powered derivative of the company’s GBU-69/B precision-guided glide bomb . Also known as the Small Glide Munition (SGM), the GBU-69/B is in service with the U.S. Special Operations community now.

Anduril has so far declined to share an artist’s conception of its design concept.

“Our first Weapons PEO Challenge has participants working with the Armament Directorate to design an enterprise test vehicle that will serve as the baseline architecture for future low-cost cruise missiles [sic] variants,” Cayley Dymond, the AFWERX Challenge team lead, said about the project’s immediate goals back in January. “The Directorate’s objective is to design a weapon with a range of approximately 500 nautical miles, high subsonic speed, and a cost goal of $150,000 per unit in bulk orders.”

For comparison, the unit price of the latest subvariants of the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) is around $1.2 and $1.5 million, according to official budget documents . The stealthy subsonic JASSM-ER is one of the Air Force’s current go-to conventional air-launched cruise missiles and has a reported maximum range of around 600 miles.

Just last Friday, the Air Force signed its first contract for Joint Strike Missiles (JSM), which are air-launched cruise missiles that are smaller and shorter-ranged than the JASSM-ER. Air Force budget documents put the price tag of a single JSM at around $2.7 million. The JSM unit cost looks in part to be a product of the relatively small numbers of these weapons the Air Force is currently looking to buy, as well as production just starting to ramp up.

It’s worth noting that we don’t know the size and type of warhead the Air Force and DIU are looking at with regard to ETV. A lighter, smaller warhead could help keep costs down, as well as extend the range of the missile, but might also limit its effectiveness against certain target sets.

“Vendors are incorporating commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components wherever possible to mitigate supply chain bottlenecks and to keep costs low,” DIU’s press release today says about the ETV project. “Vendors will also leverage modern design for manufacturing approaches, ensuring air vehicles are not over-engineered for their intended mission, minimize [the] use of expensive materials, and enable on-call high-rate production that is not possible with more exquisite counterparts.”

As already noted, the Air Force’s interest in new lower-cost cruise missiles is not new and the requirement for such munitions continues to be ever more apparent. The service could expect to expend a significant number of stand-off munitions in the opening phases of any future large-scale conflict, particularly one against China across the broad expanses of the Western Pacific. Cheaper cruise missile designs that can also be more rapidly produced would give the Air Force a way to more economically bolster its stockpiles now and replenish them faster during a protracted fight.

The matter of munition expenditure rates and replenishing stockpiles in a timely manner has been thrust into the mainstream discourse recently thanks to U.S. military efforts to protect international shipping in and around the Red Sea from Houthi militants in Yemen and to defend Israel from Iranian missiles and drones . In April, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said his service alone had fired nearly $1 billion worth of missiles in the course of those operations.

With all this in mind, it is not surprising that the Navy, as well as SOCOM, are also participating in the ETV project. Earlier this year, the Air Force and the Navy both put out new requirements for lower-cost and compact cruise missiles with shorter ranges and higher price points than ETV is aiming for. SOCOM also disclosed last month that it has begun testing a new miniature cruise missile design that could be added to the arsenal of its AC-130J Ghost Rider gunships .

The U.S. Marine Corps, which has not been explicitly named in relation to the ETV program, is also working on a new air-launched cruise missile for its AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, and potentially other platforms. Details about the service’s Long Range Attack Missile (LRAM), which is expected to have a maximum range of just over 170 miles, are limited, but it is known to be based on existing Air Force munition, as you can read more about here .

This recent flurry of activity in the smaller and/or cheaper cruise missile development space follows from a number of proceeding efforts, as well. Between 2017 and 2020, the Air Force conducted significant research and development into such a weapon, including flight testing , as part of an AFRL project called Gray Wolf .

More recently, the Air Force and the Navy have funded work on a project called the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM), which has been described in very similar terms to ETV.

In addition, while ETV’s immediate focus is on low-cost cruise missile design concepts, there is an implied interest in potentially leveraging the designs for other roles. The line is already fine between cruise missiles and air-launched decoys carrying electronic warfare payloads, which can distract and deceive opponents, clearing the way for real strikes and otherwise helping to reduce the vulnerability of friendly forces.

In recent years, a number of private companies have also presented concepts for missile-like air-launched drones capable of performing various missions that are also being developed with a particular eye toward extreme production efficiency. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Work’s Speed Racer drone is a prime example and the name is actually an acronym standing for Small Penetrating Expendable Decoy Radically Affordable Compact Extended Range. Skunk Works said in 2022 that it was moving toward flight testing the Speed Racer design, including in a crewed-uncrewed team with F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, as part of what the company called Project Carrera .

There is also General Atomics’ Advanced Air-Launched Effects (A2LE) drone, a design that makes heavy use of additive manufacturing to help accelerate production and reduce costs, which The War Zone was first to report on .

New and improved manufacturing processes that may emerge from ETV could be valuable for other more tangible efforts, too. The Air Force has made clear that it sees advanced production processes as being essential to meeting its so-called “speed-to-ramp” acquisition goals for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone program , as you can learn more about here .

As it stands now, the ETV project’s aim is that “initial flight demonstrations will occur within seven months from the agreement award dates, after which one or multiple of the most promising prototypes will continue development toward a production variant capable of rapidly scalable manufacture,” according to DIU’s press release today.

Questions remain about the feasibility of developing a cruise missile that meets the ETV project’s cost and capability goals. The litany of preceding efforts that have not resulted in a practical fielded weapon system, at least so far, underscores the potential challenges. The Air Force clearly hopes that ETV will at least produce a pathway to the desired capability.

“The ETV presents an opportunity to leverage promising ideas from industry to create and refine affordable designs for test capabilities that can be produced on a relevant timeline,” Andrew Hunter, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, said in a statement accompanying DIU’s release today.

“While the Armament Directorate remains committed to our highly-capable legacy products, we have become convinced that widening the aperture to include more non-traditional aerospace companies offers the best chance at accomplishing our cost-per-unit goals, project timeline, and production quantity goals,” Cassie Johnson, the ETV Program Manager at AFLCMC/EB also said. “We eagerly anticipate bringing respectable capability to our warfighters.”

If nothing else, if the ETV project holds to the currently stated schedule, the DIU and the Air Force will have started putting the four new cruise missile concepts through the paces by January of next year.

Author’s Note : There is some conflicting information about whether the Enterprise Test Vehicle is being technically categorized more as a drone or a cruise missile. We have reached out to DIU and the Air Force for additional information and clarification. The line between drones, especially one-way-attack attack types, and cruise missiles has been increasingly blurred in recent years, so this is hardly surprising.

Contact the author: [email protected]

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Is this our first look at russia’s new monster glide bomb striking ukraine is this our first look at russia’s new monster glide bomb striking ukraine.

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Us air force hypersonic cruise missiles get outback test on australian f/a-18f super hornets.

The Air Force's experimental HACM missile will be tested down under before entering service in 2027.

• US Air Force to test hypersonic missile on Australian jets for range limitations.
• US military uses modified drones for testing infrastructure to support hypersonic development.
• HACM to be integrated into F-15E Strike Eagle with planned limited service by 2027.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will soon test launch prototypes of the US Air Force's Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM). The tests will be carried out on American-built Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornets. The race is on among the great powers to develop hypersonic missiles. Russia was possibly the first to field what it claims to be hypersonic missiles (although these seem to have been repeatedly intercepted by American-made Patriot systems in Ukraine).

US Air Force to test hypersonic missile on Australian jets

The US Air Force will soon start testing its new hypersonic missile on Australian Air Force jets down under. Exactly when these tests will occur remains uncertain. The ostensible reason for using Australian Super Hornets to test the missile is "test range availability and limitations," which have been an "issue for hypersonic programs." A new GAO report stated, " Test range availability and limitations have been an issue for hypersonic programs... several of HACM’s planned flight tests will occur in Australia using Australian Air Force F/A-18s. "

The Warzone notes that the US military does have limitations in testing infrastructure with hypersonic development programs. The US is addressing this by acquiring a fleet of modified RQ-4 Global Hawk drones (called Range Hawks), which can gather data during hypersonic flight tests. The Warzone publication also notes that the facilities Australia is building infrastructure to operate its new MQ-4C Tritons and that infrastructure could support American Range Hawks.

The US Air Force's upcoming hypersonic missile

The Air Force plans to bring the HACM into service by 2027 (initially in limited numbers). The hypersonic missile is expected to be integrated into the F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet. The Strike Eagle enjoys a long range and can carry a heavy and outsized payload compared to other jets like the F-35 (which needs to carry weapons internally to maintain stealth). The Air Force is expected to eventually integrate the HACM with other aircraft.

Specific details about the hypersonic missile program remain limited, but it is known to include two stages—a rocket booster and a scramjet cruiser. The hypersonic missile's speed is unknown, but 'hypersonic' is normally defined as anything faster than Mach 5. Hypersonic missiles have become something of a buzzword, and they have only a limited number of practical applications against time-sensitive, high-value targets.

How Do Fighter Jets Avoid Missiles?

Australia's upcoming hypersonic missile.

The US Air Force HACM is interconnected with US and Australian efforts to develop an air-launched hypersonic cruise missile for Australia (called the Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment or SCIFiRE).

According to the Australian Air Force , the " new weapon [SCIFiRE] will be a Mach 5-class precision strike missile that is propulsion-launched and powered by an air-breathing scramjet engine. It will be capable of being carried by tactical fighter aircraft such as the F/A-18F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35A Lightning II, as well as the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft. "

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Boeing develops REVOLVER System enabling C-17 aircraft to launch multiple X-51A hypersonic missiles .

• 22 Jun, 2024 - 18:10
• Defense News Aerospace 2024

The defense sector has been stunned by a groundbreaking development in military aviation and missile technology, driven by Boeing's latest innovations. A new REVOLVER launcher system, designed to fit within the cargo compartment of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, has been unveiled, showcasing unprecedented capabilities in deploying Boeing X-51A Waverider hypersonic cruise missiles. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Virtual image showcasing a C-17 Globemaster III equipped with the REVOLVER System, launching multiple X-51A hypersonic missiles. (Picture source: Video footage Boeing)

This state-of-the-art launcher features two sequentially installed drums and an advanced electromagnetic catapult mechanism, enabling the rapid launch of up to 12 Boeing X-51A Waverider hypersonic cruise missiles. The system's design ensures that each missile can be deployed with precision and speed, enhancing the United States' aerial strike capabilities.

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, a high-capacity military transport aircraft, is renowned for its versatility and robust performance in various missions, including troop deployment, medical evacuation, and cargo transport. With a payload capacity of 78,000 kg (170,900 pounds) and a range of 4,450 km (2,400 nautical miles) (unrefueled), the C-17 is a critical asset for global military operations. Its ability to integrate advanced systems like the REVOLVER launcher further cements its role as a cornerstone of modern military logistics and operations.

The Boeing X-51A Waverider is a hypersonic cruise missile that has been at the forefront of hypersonic technology development. Designed to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, the X-51A can deliver precision strikes over long distances, making it a strategic asset in modern warfare. The missile’s scramjet engine allows for sustained hypersonic flight, pushing the boundaries of current missile technology.

While integrating the REVOLVER launcher within the C-17 Globemaster III is not yet ready, Boeing has released virtual images and videos showcasing the potential of this revolutionary system. These visual materials, published on X, have generated significant excitement and anticipation within the defense community. The imagery provides a glimpse into how the system will operate, demonstrating the rapid deployment of hypersonic missiles and the transformative impact it could have on aerial combat capabilities.

The successful future integration and testing of the REVOLVER launcher and X-51A Waverider within the C-17 platform will underscore the ongoing evolution of military capabilities in response to emerging threats. This technological advancement not only promises to enhance current military operations but also sets new standards for rapid, high-speed missile deployment. As nations continue to invest in defense technologies, such developments will be crucial in maintaining strategic superiority.

This revolutionary advancement in military aviation marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing evolution of defense technology. Launching multiple hypersonic missiles in quick succession enables swift, decisive action in critical scenarios, providing a significant edge in modern warfare. The future prospects of such systems indicate further innovations and enhancements in hypersonic warfare technology, ensuring that strategic superiority is maintained in the face of evolving threats.

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The Navy's Most Powerful Warships Are Going Extinct in 4 Years, Giving China the Upper Hand

It’s the end of a mighty era—and the start of a new power struggle.

• The U.S. Navy will decommission all of its guided missile cruisers by 2027.
• The first cruiser, the Atlanta , entered service in 1884.
• The exit of the Navy’s cruisers means that the most powerful ships, by number of missiles, will be Chinese.

The U.S. Navy’s longest serving class of warships will go extinct in four years, ending 143 years of continuous service. The last of the mighty Ticonderoga -class guided missile cruisers are scheduled to decommission in 2027, taking more than 1,500 missile silos with them. The loss of the Tico s will leave China’s new Type 055 cruisers as the most powerful surface warships afloat by number of missiles carried.

The Tired 13

The 13 Ticonderoga class guided missile cruisers are the last of 27 ships commissioned between 1983 and 1994. The Ticonderoga class was conceived as a multi-purpose warship, capable of surface strike, anti-ship, and anti-submarine warfare. The ship’s major emphasis, however, was on anti-air warfare. The class gradually evolved the capability to engage virtually all air and space threats, from sea-skimming anti-ship missiles flying 30 feet above the wavetops to satellites in low-Earth orbit.

The ships have served continuously since, and for more than 40 years, the Navy has assigned one cruiser to serve as the primary air defender for every deployed carrier strike group. In the post-Cold War period, the ships were often used to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles against enemy land targets. Today, as the threat reverts back to anti-air warfare, the ships are simply too old to continue in service.

Shield of the Fleet

The Ticonderoga s were meant to act as bodyguards for aircraft carriers, battleships, and large amphibious ships, defending them against Soviet missile raids. The ships could also act as the flagship for a surface action group, a task force without a carrier or amphibious ship, with two or three other destroyers.

The Ticonderoga class was the first to use the Aegis combat system. Named after the Greek god Zeus’s shield, Aegis is an automated combat engagement system originally designed to defeat enemy air attacks, linking the SPY-1 phased array radar system with Standard SM-2 surface-to-air missiles. Aegis was designed to detect, track, and engage up to 100 incoming missiles at a time, far more than human operators could monitor effectively.

The most important armament on the Ticonderoga class is the 122 Mk 41 vertical launch missile silos, each of which can house one SM-2 air defense missile, one SM-3 ballistic missile interceptor, one SM-6 multipurpose missile, one Tomahawk land attack cruise missile, or one ASROC anti-submarine torpedo. Each silo can alternately carry up to four Evolved Sea Sparrow short range air defense missiles.

The Mk 41’s versatility means a ship can swap out missile loads to respond to the threat environment: if the mission involves protecting a carrier, it would load up on air defense missiles. If the mission involved striking land targets, it would carry cruise missiles with enough other types of missiles to fulfill basic defensive missions.

In addition to the missiles stored in silos, a Ticonderoga can carry up to eight Harpoon anti-ship missiles in deck mounted tubes. Each ship also has two Mk 45 5-inch guns, twice as many as a destroyer, two helicopters, two Phalanx last ditch anti-missile systems, two 25mm chain guns, and up to six 324mm anti-submarine torpedoes.

A Short History of the Cruiser

Cruisers came about in the second half of the 19th century. The navies of the world wanted a ship smaller and faster than a battleship, one that could scout ahead and locate the enemy fleet. Once the enemy fleet was located, the main battle fleet of battleships could close with it and take it under fire.

Over the years, the mission of the cruiser evolved. As carrier-based aircraft took over the scouting role, cruisers adapted to carry large numbers of anti-aircraft guns, protecting battleships and aircraft carriers from aerial attack. The age of the missile saw cruisers evolve into guided missile cruisers, which use a combination of radar and surface-to-air missiles to extend a bubble of protection from missiles and aircraft around the fleet for miles in every direction.

The adoption of the vertical launch missile silo boosted the number of missiles that cruisers could carry, enhancing their effectiveness at sea. Some cruisers, like the California class, were nuclear powered, ensuring they could keep up with nuclear-powered carriers. As the Cold War ended and the threat shifted to rogue states armed with ballistic missiles, the Aegis combat system was modified to counter them with the SM-3 missile.

The SM-3 can not only engage missile warheads in low-Earth orbit, but satellites as well. In 2008, the cruiser USS Lake Erie shot down USA 193 , a failing U.S. government satellite, with a SM-3 missile at an altitude of 150 miles.

The retirement of the Ticonderogas has been a long time coming, and there have been several attempts to design a replacement. For various reasons, chiefly a lack of funding for the naval service and bad decisions, the ships never left the concept stage. Today, the Navy plans to replace the cruisers with the future DDG(X), a new guided missile destroyer that will have just 96 missile silos, compared to the Ticonderogas’ 122.

Destroyers are a step below cruisers in the size and power hierarchy, meaning after 2027, the Navy will go without cruisers for the foreseeable future. The Navy plans to augment DDG(X) in combat with robotic ships carrying additional missiles.

The loss of the Ticonderoga s and their large missile magazines will leave the Chinese Navy operating the world’s largest surface warships. The Renhai , or Type 055 class , is classified by the U.S. Department of Defense as a cruiser and is fitted with 112 missile silos.

Maybe it won’t matter that when the world’s largest surface ships come calling, they won’t be American, and that they will carry 18 more missiles than their closest American counterparts ... but maybe it will.

Kyle Mizokami is a writer on defense and security issues and has been at Popular Mechanics since 2015. If it involves explosions or projectiles, he's generally in favor of it. Kyle’s articles have appeared at The Daily Beast, U.S. Naval Institute News, The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, Combat Aircraft Monthly, VICE News , and others. He lives in San Francisco.

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