461st tests ASRAAM and Paveway IV

The 461st Flight Test Squadron has successfully tested the AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile (ASRAAM), and the Paveway IV from a Marine F-35B. The UK is planning to use both weapons on their F-35s when they enter service. The first test with the Paveway IV used the laser on the aircraft to guide the weapon. The second test used the GPS unit on the weapon for guidance. The Paveway IV is based on the Paveway II ECCG. It uses a Height of Burst sensor to allow air burst options, a SAASM GPS receiver, IMU, and terminal laser guidance.

The AIM-132 was fired at a target drone over the Pacific. It was to prove the aircraft could track targets, lock the weapon on, fire the weapon, and pass guidance to it in flight. This will allow the manufacturer to use the data to certify the missile for the F-35.

The 461st Flight Test Squadron (FLTS) recently conducted weapon delivery accuracy tests with two U.K. weapons.

The weapons were released from a U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B Lightning II, short takeoff/vertical landing variant, which will also be used by the U.K’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and Navy, explained Kenji Thuloweit, 412th Test Wing Public Affairs in the article 461st FLTS tests U.K. weapons for F-35B.

The U.K. weapons used for the test were the AIM-132 ASRAAM short-range, infrared-guided missile and Paveway IV precision-guided bomb.

theaviationgeekclub.com...

Is the F35 suited up to fit next gen weapon systems?

a reply to: Blackfinger

What do you mean when you say next gen weapons? Next gen missiles or DEW's? As far as I know both were taken into account during design and development. But if it wasn't we should all be asking why.

Laser and Railgun as well as small high accuracy munitions..

a reply to: Blackfinger

Laser, yes. Rail gun? No.

Waiting on Spear

RAB