Lockheed
Martin says the extended-range version of its stealthy JASSM cruise missile performed well in a recent flight test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., giving it a record of six successes in six flights. In a release Wednesday, the company said a B-1B bomber released the missile, which then flew a preplanned course to collect data and subsequently destroyed the designated target. Randy Bigum, Lockheed’s vice president of strike weapons, said this test confirmed the JASSM-ER’s “ability to be employed” from the B-1’s aft weapons bay and completed collection of data that “may be used to fine-tune navigation algorithms.” Flight testing will continue through mid-2010 in preparation for operational testing in 2011. JASSM-ER is expected to be available for combat on the B-1 in early 2013. Its range is more than 500 nautical miles, more twice the reach of the baseline JASSM.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
