MILITARY AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS Part 3 AIR TO SURFACE MISSILES

Air to Surface Weapons Air-to-Surface weapons are used to engage ground targets including radars, buildings, vehicles and air defences, as well as nautical targets such as ships and submarines. Targets can be located visually, or with the use of radar, aircraft can also be vectored to them by other aircraft such as the Sentinel R1. Once located, targets can be identified using Reconnaissance, Targeting pods, or by Homing devices.

Air to Surface Weapons Proximity and Contact fuses. The general types of fuses used in guided missiles are: Proximity and Contact fuses. Guided weapons are used when precision is required to hit the target and avoid collateral damage. Unguided weapons are used where there is a low risk of collateral damage.

ALARM

ALARM Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile ALARM homes in on enemy radar emissions to destroy enemy ground-based radar systems in order to suppress enemy air defences. If the radar is deactivated, ALARM loiters in the area searching for a target. It can also be pre-programmed to box-search for specific hostile radars after launch, and then attack the highest priority threat. ALARM has a longer range than equivalent weapons, but is also larger and heavier and therefore cannot be carried by all RAF aircraft.

Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile ALARM Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile Fitted to : The Tornado GR4 Performance: Range: CLASSIFIED Speed: Supersonic Sensor: Passive radar homing Dimensions: Length: 4.3m Diameter: 0.24m Span: 0.72m Weight: 590lb 260kg

Brimstone

Brimstone Fully autonomous, fire-and-forget anti-armour missile Brimstone is an advanced dual-mode laser- and radar-guided weapon, seeking & destroying armoured targets at long range, but due to its small warhead, it is unsuitable for use against large buildings or hardened targets. Brimstone missiles are carried in threes aboard specialist launchers and each missile can be independently targeted.

fire-and-forget anti-armour missile Brimstone Fully autonomous, fire-and-forget anti-armour missile Fitted to : The Tornado GR4 Performance: Range: 10nm+ Speed: Supersonic Sensor: Millimetric wave radar and laser guidance Dimensions: Length: 1.8m Width: 0.3m Weight: 108lb 49kg

CRV-7 Rockets

CRV-7 Rockets General Purpose Unguided Rockets CRV-7 rockets are launched from 19-missile pods in a pre-programmed ripple, but are unguided and cannot be used where there is a risk of collateral damage. They are used to attack a variety of targets, including troop concentrations, armoured vehicles, or lightly protected installations, from a range of up to 3 nautical miles. They are fitted with a high explosive warhead for unarmoured targets, or a kinetic energy penetrator for armoured targets.

General Purpose Unguided Rockets CRV-7 Rockets General Purpose Unguided Rockets Fitted to : The Jaguar GR3 The Harrier GR9 (Retired) Army Air Corps Apache AH1 Performance: Range: 3nm Dimensions: Length: 1.3m Weight: 24lb 11kg

Maverick

Maverick Anti-Armour Fire-and-Forget Missile Maverick is designed for close air support and defence suppression and can be used against armour, ships, transport and fuel-storage facilities. The G2 version, with which the RAF is equipped, has an Infrared seeker, giving the weapon a true all weather, day or night, ‘fire-and-forget’ capability against armoured and mobile targets.

Anti-Armour Fire-and-Forget Missile Maverick Anti-Armour Fire-and-Forget Missile Fitted to : The Harrier GR9 (Retired) Performance: Speed: Mach 0.8 Range: 6nmls+ Seeker: Imaging Infrared Dimensions: Length: 2.59m Diameter: 0.31m Span: 0.71m Weight: 631lb 286kg

Storm Shadow

Storm Shadow Long Range Stand-off Missile Storm Shadow is a long-range, low-observable, precision-guided cruise missile, arguably the most advanced weapon of its kind. Equipped with a powerful conventional warhead, to attack heavily defended/hardened targets, such as buried and protected command centres. After release, the wings deploy and the weapon navigates its way to the target at low level using terrain profile matching and an integrated Global Positioning System.

Long Range Stand-off Missile Storm Shadow Long Range Stand-off Missile Fitted to : The Tornado GR4 Performance: Range: 150nm+ Speed: Mach 0.8 Dimensions: Length: 5.1m Span: 3m Weight: 2711lb 1230kg

Harpoon

Long-Range Sea-Skimming Anti-Ship Missile Harpoon Long-Range Sea-Skimming Anti-Ship Missile The Harpoon AGM-84D is a fully autonomous, over-the-horizon, all-weather, anti-ship missile, using pre-programmed targeting information or its own active radar for terminal acquisition. The Harpoon can be launched at long range, thereby minimising the danger of counter-detection and subsequent attack against the launch vehicle. The warhead is a high-explosive unit capable of surviving impact with the target’s hull, this enables the missile to detonate inside the ship, increasing its destructive effectiveness.

Long-Range Sea-Skimming Anti-Ship Missile Harpoon Long-Range Sea-Skimming Anti-Ship Missile Used on : Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate Royal Navy Type 45 Destroyer Performance: Range: 70nm+ Speed: 537mph (864km/h) Sensor: Inertial midcourse/active radar Dimensions: Length: 3.8m Diameter: 0.34m Weight: 488lb 221kg

Sting Ray

Sting Ray Lightweight, Electrically Powered, Anti-Submarine Homing Torpedo Sting Ray is a lightweight, air-launched, electrically-powered, homing torpedo used against deep ocean or coastal submarines. It is an autonomous weapon which, having received pre-launch search pattern information from the launch aircraft, uses active sonar and tactical software to search for, localise and attack its submarine target. Should the Sting Ray miss its target, it has the ability to turn and home in again for another attack.

Sting Ray Lightweight, Electrically Powered, Anti-Submarine Homing Torpedo Used on : Royal Navy Merlin HM1 Royal Navy Lynx HMA8 Performance: Powerplant: Electric via sea water battery Speed: 45+ knots Max Depth: Below 760m Guidance: Pre-launch target information Warhead: 45kg shaped charge Dimensions: Length: 2.6m Diameter: 0.35m Weight: 584lb 265kg

Check of Understanding What can be pre-programmed into the ALARM missile system? Box-search for specific hostile radars after launch and then attack the highest priority threat. Box search for specific hostile radars after launch and then attack them when they are switched on. Launch and wait and attack either radar or any other airborne radar. The co-ordinates for ground-based infrastructure.

Check of Understanding Identify these air-launched weapons? Brimstone Maverick Storm Shadow ALARM

Check of Understanding Which missile operates by homing onto radar energy being emitted by the target radar, and can also loiter in the area if the radar is switched off? Maverick Alarm Brimstone Storm Shadow

Check of Understanding Which long-range missile navigates at low-level using terrain profile matching and an integrated GPS? Alarm Brimstone Maverick Storm Shadow

Check of Understanding Which missile is designed to attack submarines? Harpoon Stingray Storm Shadow Maverick

Check of Understanding Identify this air-launched weapon? Alarm Maverick Storm Shadow Brimstone

Check of Understanding CRV-7 Rockets are used at what range? Up to 2 nm Up to 3nm Up to 5 nm Up to 10nm

Check of Understanding The general types of fuses used in guided missiles are known as: Proximity and Contact fuses Contact and Timer fuses Timer and Delayed fuses Delayed and Proximity fuses

Check of Understanding The Maverick missile is: An anti-armour, fire and forget missile Steered to impact by the attacking aircraft An anti-ship, fire and forget missile Only effective against ships

Check of Understanding Identify this air-launched weapon? Storm Shadow Maverick Brimstone Alarm

Check of Understanding ALARM is designed to attack what? Vehicles Radars Submarines Hardened Targets

Check of Understanding Which missile provides Close Air Support and defence suppression against: armour, ships, transport and fuel storage facilities Alarm Brimstone CRV-7 Rockets Maverick

Check of Understanding STORM SHADOW is designed to attack what? Radars Ships Hardened Targets Submarines

MILITARY AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS End of Presentation