The Navy’s AARGM-ER completes its first live fire event July 19 off the coast of Point Mugu Sea Test Range in California. (U.S. Navy photo)
WASHINGTON: The Navy this week announced its anti-air defense missile cleared a critical acquisition milestone, allowing the service and prime contractor Northrop Grumman to begin initial production.
The Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range is a cooperative program between the Defense Department and the Italian government. Launched from Super Hornets, Growlers and potentially F-35s, the weapon’s mission is focused primarily on defeating enemy air defense systems — a key mission, given the proliferation of both low- and high-end air defense systems around the globe over the last decade.
The extended range modification improves the weapon’s guidance and control sections, includes a new rocket motor, and installs a Control Actuation System in an outer mold that allows the missile to be launched from different aircraft.
“We look forward to getting this new weapon with its increased capability and lethality out to the fleet as soon as possible,” said Capt. Alex Dutko, direct and time sensitive strike program manager.
Having cleared milestone C, the service is free to award Northrop Grumman low-rate initial production contracts in the coming months. The service plans to procure 54 missiles in fiscal year 2022, according to budget justification documents.
The program office conducted its first live-fire event in July to “verify system integration and rocket motor performance, as well as initiate modeling and simulation validation,” according to a Navy statement.
“Captive and live fire flight testing is planned to continue through 2022 and initial operational capability is planned for 2023,” the statement continues.
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