Page 37 - Australian Defence Magazine February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
GUIDED WEAPONS 37
modal sensor suite, weapon data link, and enhanced digital anti-jam GPS to detect and destroy specific targets within a group of ships at sea. The missile is related to the AGM-158A Joint Air to Surface Strike Missile (JASSM) which was inte- grated with the RAAF’s F/A-18A/B ‘Classic’ Hornets and will initially be employed by the RAAF’s F/A-18F Super Hornets. It has a brochure range of around 560 km (300 miles).
Prime Minister Scott Morrison formally ‘announced’ LRASM during his AUKUS address, which also detailed an impending purchase of another AGM-158 family mem- ber, the AGM-158B extended range variant
time guided weapons, in the shape of Raytheon’s SM-2 Block IIIC (RIM-62), SM-6 Block I Extended Range Active Missile (RIM-174) and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (RIM- 162) missiles.
The weapons are to be acquired as part of Sea 1300 Phase 1 (Navy Guided Weapons), which is a weapons’ ‘program of programs’, and a component of a $24 billion investment in maritime weapons over the next decade. Australia’s invest- ment in the development of the medium-range SM-2 Block IIIC air defence missile was also foreshadowed in the an-
nouncement.
The longer-range SM-6 Block I air defence
missile can also be employed as an anti-ship weapon and (with upgrades to the Aegis combat system) in the future offers a bal- listic missile defence capability.
“The Standard Missile family of weapons integrates seamlessly into the Aegis combat system, which is the backbone of Navy’s in- tegrated air and missile defence capability,” a Defence spokesperson told ADM following the announcement.
“Australia’s
Missile development ensures the Aegis-fitted surface com- batants such as the Hobart-class destroyer and Hunter- class frigates are fielding the most advanced systems in the world.
“Future government decisions regarding investment in Navy’s Standard Missile inventory will be deliberately staged to leverage upgrades to the Aegis combat system and associated Australian interface from the mid-2020s.”
The US State Department subsequently approved the FMS sale of SM-2 and SM-6 missiles to Australia in August, with the deal valued at up to US$350 million (A$485 million).
Australia is upgrading the Aegis combat systems in the Hobart-class destroyers to Baseline 9 configuration, which will enable them to perform the BMD role if desired. In December, Lockheed Martin Australia announced it has been awarded a $33 million contract to design and support the upgrade under Sea 4000 Phase 6 - Combat System De- sign Agent (CSD-A).
(JASSM-ER).
JASSM-ER will also initially be used by
RAAF Super Hornets and offers a greater stand-off range, reportedly able to strike tar- gets at distances of up to 1,000 km (621 miles).
“DEFENCE WILL LOOK TO SELECT THE F-35A MARITIME STRIKE WEAPONS AROUND FY2023/24, AS PART OF AIR 3023 (PHASE 2)”
Neither LRASM or JASSM-ER can be
carried internally by the F-35A Lightning
II, but will be certified for external carriage
by the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) in
the future. In the meantime, Australia has
an increasingly urgent requirement for a
maritime strike missile which can be carried in the F-35A’s weapons bay and thereby preserving the aircraft’s stealth characteristics.
planned participation in future Standard
“Defence will look to select the F-35A maritime strike weapons around FY2023/24, as part of Air 3023 (Phase 2),” the Defence spokesperson said.
Australia has long been involved with development of the Kongsberg Joint Strike Missile (JSM), which can be car- ried internally and BAE Systems Australia is developing the Passive Radio Frequency Sensors (PRS) for the weapon.
However, a maritime strike capability is not a priority for the USAF and some F-35 partners, so integration is ongo- ing and Australia will have to wait until the next major soft- ware upgrade (Block 4) becomes available.
Finland selected the F-35A with Block 4 capability on 10 December, becoming the third customer (behind Norway and Japan) to select JSM as its maritime strike weapon of choice. A spokesperson for Kongsberg told ADM in December that JSM is the first maritime strike and land attack weapon to reach operational status and the only one so far specifically designed for internal carriage in the F-35A’s weapons bay.
“The JSM is of interest to many F-35 user nations, as most have not made a decision yet on long range strike weapons,” the spokesperson said.
SURFACE-LAUNCHED WEAPONS
In January 2021, then-Minister for Defence Linda Reyn- olds announced a $1 billion investment in advanced mari-
ABOVE LEFT: Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158C Long Range Anti Shipping Missile (LRASM) will initially be employed by the RAAF’s Super Hornet fleet.
RIGHT: HMAS Arunta fires an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile off the coast of WA after undergoing the Anzac Midlife Capability Assurance Program upgrade.
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