AGM-158 XR

[Dawes]

This new variant is supposedly approaching Tomahawk-like range, with a 1,000 pound warhead. All AGM-158's will be painted black going forward. Gives them more of a Marvel Universe flavor, I guess.

https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/2024/xr-taking-todays-cruise-missile-further.html

[Stuart Galbraith]

The only way they could have made it look more like a sex toy is by painting it purple, imho.

[TrustMe]

We've seen the failure of the "stand off missile" approach to air-ground warfare in Ukraine. Will this make a difference? probably not.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Have we?

[Dawes]

AGM-158 would seem to be used against high-value targets such as bridges, command and control centers, airfields, etc.  

[TrustMe]

40 minutes ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

Have we?

Were seeing lots of cruise missiles being used by the Russians and Ukrainans. But they don't seem to be able to be used in mass. And generally not being used to advance a ground attack by either side. Sure they sometimes hit targets like StormShadow against the crimean bridge but in themselves their not a war winning weapon. They also have a high failure rate.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Again, have we?

Ive seen evidence of one failure. If they arent firing high tempo, its largely a question of the Su24 aircraft they are firing them from. They are nearly 50 years old, and all the ones they are now using are reassembled from mothballed examples, so probably high hours. We know that because supposedly all the Su24's that were still in service were shot down, prior to getting storm shadow.

They arent suitable for ground attack tactical units. They are primarily suitable for attacking non moving targets, such as bridges, command bunkers and the like. They would be a complete waste to attack defensive positions.

[TrustMe]

41 minutes ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

...They arent suitable for ground attack tactical units. They are primarily suitable for attacking non moving targets, such as bridges, command bunkers and the like. They would be a complete waste to attack defensive positions...

I can understand that. But, if you figure in an attack without any follow up strike just means that the infrastructure can be repaired / rebuilt in time. SS is designed to create a window of opportunity, for another attack to happen against another target. That's what Desert Storm taught us. It's also used to save attrition of friendly aircraft attacking well defended targets. 

If you follow the Land Air Battle concept of warfare theirs no gain if follow up attacks aren't attempted. 

This is all theoretical as Ukraine seems to be out of Storm Shadow's. But Russia continues to use cruise missile attack as punishment for Ukraine attacks on oil referines in Russia itself without any real strategic reason for there use.

[Stuart Galbraith]

I think you misunderstand what Storm Shadow is. Its to hit targets that would be so well defended, that overlfying it in something in a Tornado would be invitation to get it shot down. Yes, there are LGB's for after you break the back of the enemy defences, but that is long after you attrit the enemy air defences, something the RAF currently cannot do.

This is about the 7th time ive heard Ukraine is out of Stormshadows. I still dont believe it. I think its more a case that either the aircraft are down, or they are stacking them up, pending approval to dump them all on Russian targets. The last time anyone said they were out, it was about a week before 2 Stormshadow vapourised the Russian naval headquarters in crimea.

 

[seahawk]

14 hours ago, TrustMe said:

Were seeing lots of cruise missiles being used by the Russians and Ukrainans. But they don't seem to be able to be used in mass. And generally not being used to advance a ground attack by either side. Sure they sometimes hit targets like StormShadow against the crimean bridge but in themselves their not a war winning weapon. They also have a high failure rate.

90%+ are intercepted before they reach their target.

[Stuart Galbraith]

I heard it was 130 percent.

 

[DB]

On 9/18/2024 at 6:16 AM, seahawk said:

90%+ are intercepted before they reach their target.

More like 100% by the time they reach their target.

[Ssnake]

On 9/17/2024 at 12:30 PM, Stuart Galbraith said:

The only way they could have made it look more like a sex toy is by painting it purple, imho.

Sculpt some veins on it. There's always "something more" that could be done.