AGM-158 JASSM alternatives

[Slater]

With the JASSM program seemingly having one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, the USAF has been eyeing possible alternatives. They evidently include the Navy's Tomahawk and SLAM-ER missiles, and the European Storm Shadow and Taurus weapons.

 

The Tomahawk and SLAM-ER are non-stealthy designs, and I don't know about Storm Shadow and Taurus. Storm Shadow seems to have acquitted itself well in Iraq and should be worth a look if JASSM throws in the towel.

 

Admittedly this may be a long shot, as one official said that looking around for another weapon to fill the bill seems questionable when the JASSM is aound 95% complete in it's development/testing. IIRC, JASSM came into being when the earlier AGM-137 TSSAM failed on cost and technical grounds, so the mission to fill that particular requirement doesn't seem to have been a happy one.

 

Whaddya think, just order a couple thousand Storm Shadows? I'm sure that MBDA would appreciate the business

[Jim Martin]

I'm pretty sure that Storm Shadow is stealthy. With military budgets on both sides of the Atlantic being pinched by both the war and the Welfare State, it makes sense to purchase weapons from allied countries, which have the same features you were looking for in R&D. Why reinvent the wheel, when the RAF is already using it operationally???

 

Same with my opinion regarding the A-100M. What in the world prevents the US from purchasing a truly excellent replacement for the ancient C-130 airframe--perhaps by manufacturing it under license domestically? Win-win for everyone, and we don't have to blow tons of cash developing our own replacement tactical lift aircraft.

[Sardaukar]

Well, Storm Shadow is indeed stealth and quite comparable. There has been lot of interest towards it by Finnish Air Force to arm our F-18C/Ds with it.

[Chris Werb]

AFAIK Storm Shadow is only available in unitary warhead (BROACH) format, so any other options would presumably require more integration than a weapon specifically designed for submunitions like Storm Shadow's parent weapon (via SCALP-EG), Apache.

[harryRIEDL]

I'm pretty sure that Storm Shadow is stealthy. With military budgets on both sides of the Atlantic being pinched by both the war and the Welfare State, it makes sense to purchase weapons from allied countries, which have the same features you were looking for in R&D. Why reinvent the wheel, when the RAF is already using it operationally???

 

Same with my opinion regarding the A-100M. What in the world prevents the US from purchasing a truly excellent replacement for the ancient C-130 airframe--perhaps by manufacturing it under license domestically? Win-win for everyone, and we don't have to blow tons of cash developing our own replacement tactical lift aircraft.

 

surely you mean A400M

[James1978]

Same with my opinion regarding the A-100M. What in the world prevents the US from purchasing a truly excellent replacement for the ancient C-130 airframe--perhaps by manufacturing it under license domestically? Win-win for everyone, and we don't have to blow tons of cash developing our own replacement tactical lift aircraft.

Seeing as how the A-400M isn't even scheduled to make its first flight until early 2008, I think you'd have a hard time getting that past the C-17 lobby in Congress. I don't dispute that the A-400M looks like it will be a world-class airlifter, I just think that Boeing and the USAF are going to point out to Congress that the C-17 is more capable, is already in production, is already built here, and is a proven operational aircraft.

 

The real shame is that Lockheed was originally part of the program/concept that led to the A-400M, but left in 1989 to develop the C-130J. Now that is a missed oppotunity if ever there was one.

[Sardaukar]

I just think that Boeing and the USAF are going to point out to Congress that the C-17 is more capable, is already in production, is already built here, and is a proven operational aircraft.

 

About A-400M:

 

Because of reasons you stated and others..

 

There is approximately 0.0001% chance that US Congress would authorize a buy of A-400Ms...I'll get a heart attack prolly if that happens...

[TheSilentType]

Seeing as how the A-400M isn't even scheduled to make its first flight until early 2008, I think you'd have a hard time getting that past the C-17 lobby in Congress. I don't dispute that the A-400M looks like it will be a world-class airlifter, I just think that Boeing and the USAF are going to point out to Congress that the C-17 is more capable, is already in production, is already built here, and is a proven operational aircraft.

 

The real shame is that Lockheed was originally part of the program/concept that led to the A-400M, but left in 1989 to develop the C-130J. Now that is a missed oppotunity if ever there was one.

 

 

The A400 is more of a C-130 replacement than an alternative to the C-17. We should offer the Europeans a swap, we'll build them some C-17s in exchange for some A400s. It'll never happen of course.

[swerve]

Back on subject -

 

Storm Shadow/Scalp EG/Black Shaheen is stealthy, Taurus KEPD-350 probably less so. The latter probably has a longer range.

 

As Chris says, Storm Shadow only comes with one warhead, & so does Taurus, though other warheads have been proposed, including submunitions. Both are very good at punching holes in hard targets, both seem to be accurate & reliable, & they're similar size & weight. Taurus is slightly heavier with a slightly bigger warhead. Both are in production. Storm Shadow has the advantage of being combat-proven.

[Praet]

Taurus KEPD-350 probably less so

And that is why?

[swerve]

And that is why?

 

Less RAM. Seen it cited (unfortunately, didn't keep the reference) as a reason for more range, the weight saved on RAM. AFAIK (& I'm no expert, so this is low-grade amateur estimation), the shaping should be as good on both.