Revealing new weapons on the US AH-64 Apache attack helicopter
According to Business Insider, the US military is testing a new attack missile for the AH-64 Apache helicopter to replace the veteran Hellfire missile.
The Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) includes laser guidance and millimeter wave radar (MWR) guidance. Laser guidance provides high accuracy but is susceptible to weather conditions such as fog, rain, and snow. MWR-guided missiles, on the other hand, can operate well in bad weather.
The Longbow Hellfire uses MRW guidance, while the regular Hellfire is equipped with laser guidance. The JAGM is a missile that combines both guidance types.
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| The JAGM will replace the Hellfire missile on the Apache helicopter. |
“For laser guidance systems, the six seconds before the missile reaches the target are critical. If the laser beam is off target, the missile will miss. JAGM can start its flight path with laser guidance and then gradually switch to radar signals to increase accuracy,” said a test pilot on an AH-64 Apache aircraft.
According to information revealed by the manufacturer Lockheed Martin, JAGM is 175cm long, weighs 47kg and has a range of 16km. But if launched from an aircraft at high altitude, the range of JAGM can reach 28km.
JAGM will be equipped on jets, helicopters and UAVs but if improved, it can be used on army combat vehicles and warships of the navy and marines.
