Tag Archives: Joint Strike Missile (JSM)

Air, Air Force, Fighters, Missiles & Guided Weapons, Rocket

Passive Radio Sensors

KONGSBERG has placed an order with BAE Systems Australia to acquire an additional 180 Passive Radio Frequency Sensors (PRS) for its Joint Strike Missile (JSM).

Joint Strike Missile (JSM)
Australian technologies for Joint Strike Missile (JSM)

This completes the first full rate of production order for 200 PRS sensors and is the result of successful and efficient operations between the two companies over the past five years.

Following initial funding from the Australian Government, KONGSBERG and BAE Systems Australia have continued to invest in the development, qualification and integration of the Australian sensor providing additional capability to the fifth-generation, long-range, precision-guided, stand-off missile system.

KONGSBERG’s JSM is highly effective against maritime and land targets, and is the only anti-ship cruise missile that can be carried internally within the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

This allows the F-35 Lightning II to retain its range and stealth capabilities, making it highly suited to meet the RAAF’s F-35 Maritime Strike requirements under Project 3023 Phase 2.

The JSM is from the same family of missiles as the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) that was competitively selected by the U.S. Navy, and is also a candidate missile for Project SEA 1300 for the Royal Australian Navy.

This order demonstrates KONGSBERG’s willingness to work closely with Australian Defence Industry and BAE Systems Australia’s commitment to developing sovereign capability in Guided Weapons programs that will benefit the Australian Defence Force.

 

Kongsberg Defence Australia’s General Manager John Fry said:

«This latest export order with BAE Systems Australia further demonstrates KONGSBERG’s commitment to working with our Australian Industry partners on the development of world-leading sovereign guided weapon technology».

«The work that we are doing with BAE Systems Australia on JSM continues to build upon KONGSBERG’s legacy of collaboration with Australian companies on guided weapon production that commenced 25 years ago with the Australian manufacture of Penguin missile components».

«The global interest for JSM with the international F-35 Lightning II user community gives us confidence that the PRS will continue to be an outstanding export story for Australian Defence Industry».

 

BAE Systems Australia Managing Director Defence Delivery Andrew Gresham said:

«Achieving this major milestone in the JSM program provides an excellent example of how KONGSBERG, an international guided weapons provider and BAE Systems Australia, have successfully established an effective working relationship that supports design, development, integration and production activities in the field of guided weapons».

«This order demonstrates Australia’s ability to develop new, world leading sovereign technologies. The integration of this technology into a guided weapon will provide the Australian Defence Force with a leading edge defence capability».

«Our collaboration and success in developing this sensor for the JSM also showcases how Australia can compete on the world stage and export innovative defence technologies».

Missiles & Guided Weapons, Rocket

Joint Strike Missile

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (KONGSBERG) has entered into contract with Japan to supply the initial deliveries of JSM (Joint Strike Missile) for their fleet of F-35 Lightning II fighter aircrafts.

KONGSBERG awarded Joint Strike Missile contract with Japan
KONGSBERG awarded Joint Strike Missile contract with Japan

The JSM development started in 2008 and was completed in mid-2018 after a series of successful validation test firings.

«This is an important international breakthrough which demonstrates the importance of cooperation between Norwegian authorities, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and Norwegian industry», says CEO of KONGSBERG Geir Håøy.

The JSM is the only long-range sea- and land-target missile that can be carried internally in the F-35 Lightning II and thus ensuring the aircraft’s low-signature (stealth) capabilities. JSM is a new missile that will expand the overall capabilities of the F-35 Lightning II. No other weapon on the market today, can perform the same types of missions.

«The international F-35 Lightning II user consortium is showing great interest in the JSM and KONGSBERG is very proud to have been selected by Japan to provide the JSM for their F-35 Lightning II fleet. This is a major milestone for the JSM program, entering into the production phase», says Eirik Lie, President, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS.

Air Force

Test Program

A team of U.S. Air Force engineers, test pilots, and Norwegian government and industry personnel recently completed a large phase of testing for the Joint Strike Missile (JSM).

A weapons load team prepares to remove a Joint Strike Missile from a 416th Flight Test Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon following a captive carriage test flight, February 27, 2018 (U.S. Air Force photo by Christopher Okula)
A weapons load team prepares to remove a Joint Strike Missile from a 416th Flight Test Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon following a captive carriage test flight, February 27, 2018 (U.S. Air Force photo by Christopher Okula)

The JSM is Norway’s advanced anti-surface warfare missile designed for the new F-35A Lighting II’s internal weapons bay. The missile can be employed against sea- and land-based targets. Norway is a partner nation in the development of the fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Before proceeding with integration testing on the F-35A Lighting II, the JSM was tested at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) on F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 416th Flight Test Squadron.

«The F-16 is a much more proven and mature platform in terms of technology development», said Collin Drake, 416th FLTS JSM project engineer. «The F-35 is still undergoing its own technology development and design iterations, which brings its own challenges. It made it a lot more efficient and effective to use F-16s to be able to test, mid-cycle, a new type of weapon».

Drake said the weapons development program at Edwards AFB began in 2015. The JSM missile system was matured and proven with ground testing, captive carriage testing (flight test missions to ensure the weapon would perform its designed functions prior to being released from the aircraft), and live-drop testing to verify the JSM’s ability to safely release from the aircraft and perform its autonomous functions.

Testing included multiple variants of the JSM that increased in complexity and capability throughout the course of the program. The first JSM was a glide-only weapon with an active autopilot, but without a live engine, according to Drake. The next several tests used a version of the JSM that still did not have a warhead, but had a live engine and navigation avionics. The different variants proved the JSM could sustain extended periods of flight under its own power and successfully navigate over different terrain.

All variants of the JSM were inert until the final flight test events where it hit a target with full mission systems software and guidance. Throughout the test program, numerous software and hardware changes and updates were made. All live releases of the weapon were conducted at the Utah Test and Training Range.

«The multi-national test team, including the 416th FLTS, was able to work with the weapon developer over the course of the program to improve the JSM in an incremental fashion, which has resulted in a reliable and high-performance missile system», Drake said. «It was an enormous milestone to release the final, all-up-round weapon».

Drake said Edwards AFB’s airspace, personnel, assets and the American-Norway alliance make it the ideal situation to test the JSM.

«The weapons ranges needed simply don’t exist in Norway», Drake said. «So, they were able to come here and utilize the Edwards AFB airspace and ground test facilities for the captive carriage flight and ground testing. The 416th FLTS has a long and storied history of testing systems with our foreign partners, especially with Norway. Norway has been a partner in F-16 development since its inception, so it was a natural fit to work with the Norwegian Ministry of Defense to make this technology development program a reality. The 416th FLTS is equipped to provide flight test expertise and is adaptable to accommodate the testing of first-of-its-kind hardware and software, such as that of the Joint Strike Missile».

The next step is for the Norwegians to integrate the JSM on to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and then on to further weapons and integration testing.

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon carries a developmental test version of Norway’s Joint Strike Missile to its release point above the Utah Test and Training Range west of Salt Lake City. When development is complete, the JSM is intended for use aboard the F-35A Lighting II. The 416th Flight Test Squadron recently wrapped up JSM testing (U.S. Air Force photo by Christopher Okula)
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon carries a developmental test version of Norway’s Joint Strike Missile to its release point above the Utah Test and Training Range west of Salt Lake City. When development is complete, the JSM is intended for use aboard the F-35A Lighting II. The 416th Flight Test Squadron recently wrapped up JSM testing (U.S. Air Force photo by Christopher Okula)