On Tuesday, the U.S. Navy announced through the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) that it conducted a new launch test of the AGM-88G AARGM-ER (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile–Extended Range), marking another step forward toward its future operational deployment. The tests were carried out at the Point Mugu Sea Range in California, with technical support from a team dispatched by the manufacturer, Northrop Grumman.
Expanding on the details available, the trial involved an F/A-18F Super Hornet carrying two AGM-88G AARGM-ER missiles, with at least one of them launched. Moreover, the service confirmed that the missile successfully passed a test primarily aimed at demonstrating its operational capability in a complex environment without GPS support, although no further details were provided regarding the technology used to achieve this. Under normal conditions, these missiles would typically rely on GPS in conjunction with a dedicated sensor designed to ensure guidance toward targets even if they shut down to stop emitting.
In this regard, it is worth recalling that the AARGM-ER was conceived as a longer-range variant of the current AGM-88E AARGM, which was developed by the United States under a cooperative program that also involved the Italian Air Force. The AGM-88E was characterized mainly by incorporating a new guidance section featuring a passive anti-radiation homing receiver, along with an inertial and satellite navigation system, complemented in turn by a millimeter-wave radar for the terminal phase.
The recently tested missiles build on that foundation and add significant improvements, combining the aforementioned guidance section with a new, larger rocket motor that allows it to cover greater distances, along with a change in warheads. In addition, the new missiles incorporate new lateral aerodynamic strakes and low-drag tail surfaces, which, together with the propulsion-system change, double the AARGM-ER’s range compared to the original AARGM.
It is also necessary to consider that this new design was conceived with the need to integrate it into the weapons suite of the stealthy F-35 fighter, whose internal bays were not compatible with the large fins of the AARGM model. If brought into service, the platform would no longer depend primarily on its AESA radars for SEAD-type missions, further expanding its already considerable strike capabilities. For what will be its first international customer—Australia—this is also significant given that the backbone of its tactical aviation is made up of the F/A-18F, EA-18G, and F-35A.
Finally, beyond the technical aspects, it should be noted that based on publicly available information only five launch tests of the AARGM-ER missile appear to have been conducted so far, with illustrative precedents reported in December 2022 and May 2023. Along those lines, it is also worth mentioning that Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was originally expected to be achieved in 2024, but that date was subsequently postponed to the current year.
Image credits: Katie Archibald – NAVAIR
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