What are the SACM and MSDM? Raytheon just won a missile contract for the F-22 & F-35

Raytheon just won a contract (over Lockheed it appears) to work on the Small Advanced Capability Missile and Miniature Self-Defense Munition from the US Air Force Research Lab. The contract itself is pretty small $14M. However, I am curious about the missiles themselves.

The SACM is being touted as a complement to the AMRAAM. That would imply, to me, this is meant to be be a replacement for the AIM-9 series. Given the USAF history with the brand, it might be the SACM gets renamed as such if it makes it to deployment. From what I gather the SACM is meant to be smaller and still be effective allowing for more missiles to be carried by the 5th gen fighters.

Also interesting is the MSDM. I'm unsure whether this is an attempt to do an anti missile missile or something very short range and agile that can be fired against fighters in a furball. I'd guess it really wouldn't matter if a fighter can outmaneuver you if a missile you carry can fire way off bore sight and even potentially backwards. How you'd test that would be...difficult. Not many QF's can do the crazy flight stuff you'd need to accurately test the munition.

Thoughts?

a reply to: anzha

SACM is the Small Diameter Bomb equivalent of missiles. It uses a Hit to Kill interceptor, and improved fuel systems to get range. It's smaller than current missiles, allowing them to double the payload of a fighter carrying them. It won't replace the AIM-9 family, but will complement current missiles.

MSDM will be similar to the DIRCM systems, but will use ballistic systems, instead of lasers. It also, theoretically, will be able to shoot down at least some classes of ballistic missiles.

Raytheon was just awarded a $375M contract for a flight worthy MSDM.

defpost.com...

Ooohh heres hoping for a Macross Missile Massacre...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Is the Raytheon missile based on their quick kill efforts or something new?

a reply to: anzha

No one is saying for sure, but at a guess, something else. It's supposedly a kinetic kill design.

a reply to: Zaphod58

The Lockheed design was supposed to be based off their MHTK missile.