Air Defense: June 5, 2001

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The US Navy has decided to develop a new version of the HARM anti-radiation missile with more range and speed. Anti-radiation missiles are targeted on enemy air-defense radars, and are primarily used by "defense suppression" aircraft. The missile would reach operational units by 2010. The Navy wants the missile to deal with modern air defenses, which tend to move around and turn their radars on and off to avoid being destroyed by defense suppression aircraft. A faster missile might knock out an air defense unit before it could relocate, or before it knew it was under attack.--Stephen V Cole