BAE Systems contracted to manufacture seekers for LRASM Lots 4/5

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has contracted BAE Systems Electronic Systems in Nashua, New Hampshire to manufacture additional next-generation seekers for the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) programme.

Awarded in late April, the USD117 million contract will deliver the new seeker assemblies for LRASM production Lots 4 and 5, with initial deliveries beginning in mid-2022. “Following design improvements conducted under a Diminishing Sources/Affordability contract, BAE Systems is producing next-generation seekers for Lots 4 and 5 that are more capable and easier to produce, with less-complicated manufacturing processes. The next-generation seekers have replaced obsolescent and limited-availability parts, dramatically reducing the system cost,” BAE Systems said in a statement.

Derived from the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile - Extended Range (JASSM-ER) weapon system, LRASM is a joint-service (US Navy-USN/US Air Force-USAF) 2,400 lb (1,088.6 kg) air-launched high-subsonic conventional precision-guided stand-off anti-ship missile with a stated air-launched range of ‘greater than 200 n miles' (370 km).

The AGM-158C retains the JASSM-ER 1,000 lb penetrator/blast fragmentation warhead and enhanced digital anti-jam GPS, but introduces a new multimode sensor/seeker package that combines a passive radio frequency (RF) long-range sensor for wide area target acquisition, developed by BAE Systems, with an imaging infrared seeker for terminal targeting, and a weapon data link L-Band Unit supplied by ViaSat. The missile has a stated air-launched range of ‘greater than 200 n miles' (370 km). According to BAE Systems, the next-generation seeker technology “enables LRASM to detect and engage specific maritime targets in contested environments with less dependence on traditional navigation systems”.

Computer-generated image of an AGM-158C LRASM launch from an F/A-18 Super Hornet multirole combat aircraft. (BAE Systems)