JSOW C-1 completes final integrated test

Raytheon and the US Navy have successfully completed the final free flight of the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1 in its integrated testing phase, the company announced on 15 April.

The JSOW C-1 demonstrated its effectiveness against maritime targets in motion during the development test. It is now on track to begin operational testing in the spring of 2015 and begin deliveries for the naval fleet in 2016 after the operational testing is successfully completed.

During the development test, two F/A-18E/F aircraft executed a pre-launch handoff, after which the weapon was released 35 nautical miles from the target. The aircraft transferred control of the weapon once again and sent a post-launch retargeting command to reroute the JSOW C-1 from its initial target ship to a higher priority target.

The JSOW C-1 gave real-time in-flight track and bomb hit indication status messages to the controlling aircraft while it flew to its target.

Celeste Mohr, JSOW programme director, Raytheon, said: ‘JSOW C-1 will be the US navy’s first air-launched, net enabled weapon to provide warfighters with the vital capability to engage both stationary land-based and manoeuvring sea-based targets.

‘The affordable JSOW is critical to countering today’s advanced, emerging threats.’