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Subject: Standard mssile with AMRAAM seeker makes second successful test
Phaid    9/6/2008 12:05:18 PM
U.S. Navy Conducts Second Test of Raytheon's Standard Missile-6 WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M., Sept. 5, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Navy conducted the second test of Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Standard Missile-6 extended range anti-air warfare missile Sept. 5. Using the newly developed SM-6 active seeker, the missile intercepted a BQM-74 aerial drone. The active seeker, employing the U.S. Navy's legacy command system, autonomously acquired and engaged the target. "The SM-6 integrates the legacy standard missile airframe and semi-active guidance technology with the power of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) active seeker," said Louis Moncada, Raytheon Missile Systems' SM-6 program director. "Today's test demonstrated this capability at low altitudes." The SM-6 provides advanced anti-air warfare and over-the-horizon capabilities against aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles. The over-the-horizon capabilities allow the missile to engage a target beyond the ship's line of sight. "The SM-6 program continues to move forward on budget and on schedule," said Kirk Johnson, Naval Sea Systems Command Standard Missile program manager. "Combining the legacy SM-2 Block IV capability with the AMRAAM's active seeker is a true accomplishment." Raytheon Company, with 2007 sales of $21.3 billion, is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 86 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 72,000 people worldwide. Note to Editors: The first test of the Standard Missile-6 occurred June 24, 2008. Contact: Heather Uberuaga 520.665.5594 [email protected] SOURCE Raytheon Company
 
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dwightlooi       9/7/2008 8:45:43 PM
The AMRAAM-D seeker is also being offered on the ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow) airframe.
 
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6436/aa26e55cacda4a549ae14d2be6.jpg" /> 

 
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doggtag    You sure about that?   9/8/2008 10:33:08 AM
...says plain-as-day on the side of that missile "SL-AMRAAM-ER".
 
Question being: did Raytheon just put the AMRAAM's seeker incorporated on top of an actual ESSM,
or did they recognize that the strake-equipped airframe has superior surface-launched flight characteristics to the typical cruciform fin layout of most AAMs
(ESSM initially borrowed the same design from Raytheon's other stablemate, the Standard series SAMs),
and finally adapt the SL-AMRAAM's flight strakes and control fin layout accordingly?
 
Difficult to accurately gauge the vertical missile's dimensions when compared to the noses of those other three,
which appear, top to bottom, to be AIM-9X, AMRAAM,
and the co-Israeli Stunner with its dual seeker, hence the funny taper of the nose.
AMRAAM being 7" diameter, AIM-9X is ~5", and Stunner, coming from the Derby family, at ~6.3" (which it does appear a tad smaller than the AMRAAM in the middle).
 
Seems weird to market an ESSM, equipped with AMRAAM seeker tech, as "SL-AMRAAM-ER", don't it,
rather than calling it ESSM-Land or something similar?
ESSM's are considerably heftier missiles than SL-AMRAAMs, so those pics and pdfs showing 5 or 6 SL-AMRAAMs on a modded Humvee would most likely have to change if now, with the -ER, we're going to a heavier 10" diameter missile...
 
Sorry to spoil your fun.
Can we get anyone else chime in here with anything more concrete on the matter?
 
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Phaid       9/8/2008 12:42:16 PM
The SL-AMRAAM-ER is not an ESSM.  It's a new version of the SL-AMRAAM and is being marketed as a land-based medium-altitude SAM.  Here's what Raytheon says about it:
The AMRAAM-ER, also known as the SL-AMRAAM-ER, is a medium range surface-to-air missile intended to defeat air breathing targets such as fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). It has been offered by Raytheon to extend the range of SL-AMRAAM missile-based air defense systems. The AMRAAM-ER may feature greater range compared with the SL-AMRAAM missile. The new missile's aerodynamic design has received influence from other key surface-to-air missiles also developed by Raytheon: the ESSM and the SM-2 Standard Missile. Externally, the AMRAAM-ER bears no resemblance to AMRAAM missile. 
That being said, the SL-AMRAAM-ER basically is an ESSM airframe with an AMRAAM seeker.  However I don't know offhand if they have actually offered it for sale for naval use.
 
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