Raytheon and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, with support from the Norwegian Ministry of Defence, successfully completed a flight test of an updated AMRAAM-Extended Range missile variant from a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS).
This latest AMRAAM-ER variant is a first-of-its-kind configuration incorporating the guidance section of the AIM-120 C-8.
According to a press release from the company:
“It also incorporates a more robust 10-inch rocket motor from Nammo and a 10-inch Control Actuator System, from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, branded the Norwegian Propulsion Stack, for which the Norwegian MoD has been a collaborative partner.”
“Integrating this new technology into the AMRAAM-ER ensures the advanced capabilities of the surface-launched munition for many years to come,” said Paul Ferraro, president of Air & Space Defense Systems at Raytheon.
“Agile software upgrades will continue to advance AMRAAM to stay ahead of evolving threats.”
The testing included a test firing, during which the missile flew a preprogrammed flight path to verify safe egress from the NASAMS launcher and missile performance.
The AMRAAM-ER is designed to be integrated with the NASAMS launcher for increased air defence protection, intercepting targets with increased range and altitude of a non-extended range AMRAAM.
I wonder what is shooting down all the Russian jets?
They are dropping like flies…..
Could they be battlefield testing something new? The Russians obligingly providing very realistic targets?
It increasingly looks like Ukraine controls the sea domain and is gaining control of the air domain in spite of only having tiny amounts of NATO kit.
I suspect it is a combination of different systems deployed in some areas the Russians didn’t expect or didn’t think Ukr would risk. Whatever it is, it appears to be having devastating effect on the RuAF.
Probably and a lack of AWACS radar guidance for the Russians?
Something has tipped the scales in that area.
I agree it is probably a combination of tactics and some NATO weapons and maybe some homebrew enhancements…..
Whatever it is quite the attrition rate….
I think It’s the Ukrainians personally ……..
Patriot Pac-3, being used properly. Until this point it was used defensively to protect Kiev and Lviv. Now it’s being deployed forward, in a battlefield scenario as it was designed.
Could well be…..whatever it is….it is doing the attritional job very nicely.
It’s a beast of a system. One flash of the RWR and you’ve scheduled a meeting with the supersonic telephone pole.
Forgive me for being pedantic but I think most likely if it’s patriot scoring these kills then it will be Pac-2s
I would suspect forward deployed Patriot too. Used in a shoot and scoot mode.
It’s reaching into Russia and saying hello to Mainstay and any Su34’s that arn’t frying chickens in the barnyard are being knocked out of the sky too…..
Well Ukrainian sources and Arthur Rehi who is Estonian but very informed, on YouTube suggests it is for the most part likely Patriot being used closer to the front line in deliberate sting operations that have drawn Russians into a killing zone that they think is safe. But the latest AWACs A-50 seems to have been well out side of the systems range so something of a mystery for that one in particular which may or may not have implications generally for what’s going on. There was talk of an old Ukranian S-200 being used on that one, which does… Read more »
Within Russian circles the talk is either refurbished S200 or, they presume, an as of yet unknown American weaponsystem.
A version of that incident I had read was the use of a modified S-200 fired from Ukraine at the A50, countermeasures were deployed and amongst the confusion Russia launched its own Sam’s to intercept the S-200 which hit the A50 instead.
It has been noted via satellite surveillance, that the airfield home of the Mainstays (North of Moscow). That there are 5 or 6 A50 aircraft parked with no engines. The likelihood is that these are being robbed to keep the operational jets flying. There has also been talk that Russia may try to reactivate some of the early A50s that were retired. But I suspect it will take them quite a number of months to source the spares to get them flying, let alone operate the radar and train the crew etc.
What’s the source/details for the RuAF attrition rate, please?
Ukrainian claims mostly.
But some of the RuAF losses are multi sourced.
They seem to be losing two planes per day.
To me, in a simple minded way, it is a bit like NLAW and tanks. If we subcontract the Ukrainians to down them then RAF will never have to fight them?
Even with Mad Vlad’s massive scrap heap airforce that is quite the attrition rate. They will be wheeling out old stuff soon.
Two planes per day? So Russia is losing over 700 planes per year?
Planes can replaced even by older jets!but the pilots and crews that is another matter!
I suspect they just got over confident following recent successes and believed ukraine was running short of anti air missiles.
Until recently they have kept their planes away from the front lines, but the last few weeks they appear to be much more active and that has resulted in the many losses.
I think the ground forces temporary ‘success’ has a lot to do with the fact that Mad Vlad is running an RuAF meat grinder.
Which is why, as you say, it is a bit like shooting fish in the barrel with Patriot etc.
Just as Ukraine might run out of 155mm this attrition of RuAF jets is great ahead of F16 arrival.
Unfortunately I don’t think it’s going to be temporary. Ukraine put everything it had during the summer offensive and it pretty much completely failed to achieve anything. Russia’s complete lack of care about their own forces is horrific, but seems to be working just very very slowly.
At some point you run out of jets…..
Now UKR are using PATROT optimally…..air domain will belong to UKR.
Bear in mind that NATO tactics have always been air domain 1st.
Based on the style of the war, I can’t see Ukraine taking control of the air would have a significant impact on the war, as Russia has lots of air defences and so Ukraine will suffer the same issues if they started using their Ir force more. Unfortunately no quick fixes here, unless nato decides to get involved but I can’t see that happening.
I am hoping that the sixty odd F16s that Holland, Denmark and Norway are sending Ukraine’s way. Are being delivered with the HARM targeting pod. The pod allows the F16 to become a Wild Weasel and properly hunt enemy air defence systems. This is one of the crucial factors that will help Ukraine push back Russia. Without the multi-layered air defence screen. Other Ukrainian aircraft can then be better employed in the ground attack role. If only Ukraine’s Su-27s had a better radar and BVRAAM! This would help push back the Russian Su-30/35s and Su-34s. Allowing the Ukrainian ground attack… Read more »
Time will tell but i suspect that tiny fpv drones flying extremely low and mines will continue to dominate the war as there just isn’t an cost effective way to deal with them.