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2019-04-07

KONGSBERG’s JSMs to be on Japanese F-35s

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (KONGSBERG) recently entered into contract with Japan to supply the initial deliveries of JSM (Joint Strike Missile) for their fleet of F-35 fighter aircrafts. The JSM development started in 2008 and was completed in mid-2018 after a series of successful validation test firings. JSM is a fifth-generation cruise missile available for integration on fixed wing aircraft to include F-35 internal carry.

“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 a long-range sea- and land-target missile that can be carried internally in the F-35 and thus ensuring the aircraft’s low-signature stealth capabilities. It is a new missile that will expand the overall capabilities of the F-35. Reportedly, no other weapon on the market today can perform the same types of missions.

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

Advanced Missile System
JSM includes advanced mission planning system to exploit sea and land geography. JSM employs a highly accurate navigation system and low altitude flight profile. JSM is based on the well-proven and modern technology of NSM (Naval Strike Missile), which is operational in the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) and Poland.

The JSM range allows for launch platform survivability and flexible mission routing to enhance survivability and mission success. Its capabilities include:

• Survivability – multiple attributes to ensure survivability against advanced threat systems

• Lethality – demonstrated against ship and relocatable land targets

• Target Selectivity – true Autonomous Target Recognition capability

• Suitability – F-35A and C model internal carry; for all F-35 variants external carry and other fixed wing and maritime patrol aircraft

The JSM is designed with a stand-off range to protect the launch platform from being detected and engaged by enemy Air Defence Systems. JSM has high survivability against modern and future Air Defence systems.

This is accomplished by the following: passive sensors, very low signature, extremely low sea skimming altitude, terrain following flight, high agility with selectable endgame, flight profiles, and very precise designated time-on target.

An advanced mission planning system utilises all these capabilities to generate optimum engagement plans. Salvo capability, i.e. multiple missiles towards one target, is also available for highly defended, high value targets.

The JSM warhead effect is given by three main elements; warhead size, warhead fuze and target hitpoint. It has selectable aim point in the target and has proven to hit the target very precisely. This capability enables selection of controlled destruction effect, ranging from maximum damage to controlled/minimum damage. Terminal accuracy has been demonstrated to less than 2 feet (distance between aim point and actual hit point).

The JSM has a 500lbs class warhead with a gross weight of 120 kg and explosive weight of 100 kg (TNT equivalent). The warhead is a combined blast (primary effect) and fragmentation (secondary effect) warhead with insensitive High Explosive (HE) charge. The warhead casing is made of titanium alloy with a steel-grid for fragmentation effect.

The fuze is programmable with custom designed fuze programmes downloaded prior to launch. The warhead is insensitive munition certified.

Selectivity and Integration
The JSM features sophisticated target acquisition with Autonomous Target Recognition (ATR) facilitated by an imaging infrared seeker. Advanced recognition algorithms provide capability to identify targets to ship class and prevent attack of white/neutral shipping.

There is a 100 per cent confidence in separation of “white” and “red” shipping. The JSM mission planning system incorporates a national database with a library of potential targets. A sub-set of the target library is downloaded to the JSM prior to launch. For each target class in the database there will be a set of recognition characteristics, a default aim point position together with a corresponding warhead fuze profile, and default missile end-game tactics. Prior to launch, the operator may inspect and modify the end-game tactics and aim point. Kongsberg will provide customers with a software application package and training for target library development.

JSM fits into the internal weapons bay of the F-35 A and C versions. The system can also be carried on external stations on F-35, F-16, F/A-18 and F-15.

Furthermore, JSM accommodates modern standards for integration to fast jets. The datalink design provides for interoperability with current and future network concepts. JSM being based on a fire and forget concept is robust against variations in data link connectivity.

Reference Text/Photo:www.kongsberg.com

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