Raytheon Company successfully completed more than 1,700 rigorous wind tunnel tests on the newest, extended-range variant of the combat-proven AMRAAM® air-to-air missile. Testing is a major step in the missile’s qualification for integration with the NASAMS™ surface-based system.
The AMRAAM-ER missile is a ground-launched weapon that will intercept targets at longer distances and higher altitudes. The missile’s bigger rocket motor and smarter flight control algorithms give it a boost in range.
“During these tests, we put AMRAAM-ER through a full range of potential flight conditions to validate the missile’s future performance on the battlefield,” said Kim Ernzen, Raytheon Air Warfare Systems vice president. “Raytheon is developing this missile to enhance ground-based air defense for our customers worldwide.”
An AMRAAM-Extended Range missile is fired from a NASAMS launcher and successfully engages and destroys a target drone during an international flight test at the Andoya Space Center in Norway. The test validated the complete system, including the AMRAAM-ER missile, NASAMS system, Sentinel radar and Kongsberg’s Fire Distribution Center. Raytheon photo
Raytheon engineers will now analyze data from the wind tunnel test runs to verify and update the AMRAAM-ER missile’s aerodynamic models to maximize its performance.
About NASAMS
Manufactured by Raytheon and Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, NASAMS is the most widely used short- and medium-range air defense system in NATO. NASAMS provides a high-firepower, networked and distributed state-of-the-art air defense system that can quickly identify, engage and destroy current and evolving threat aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and emerging cruise missile threats.