TSAMTO, May 18. Raytheon Missiles and Defense (a division of Raytheon Technologies) has announced the successful launch of the first AMRAAM-ER surface-to-air warhead equipped with an equipped warhead, together with Norway's Kongsberg.
The tests, conducted at the Annea test site in Norway, have collected important flight data that will be used to improve the rocket's software. To launch the missile, the test team used a new NASAMS SAM launcher, which is capable of accommodating the AMRAAM-ER (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Extended Range), which is characterized by its large size.
According to Paul Ferraro, vice president of aviation at Raytheon Missiles & Defense, AMRAAM-ER will provide the customer with enhanced ground-based air defense/missile defense capabilities due to the increased speed, range, altitude and maneuverability of the missile. The tests carried out brought the project closer to certification, the beginning of production and integration of the munition into the NASAMS SAM.
One of the advantages of the AMRAAM-ER is its" relative cheapness", compared to other missiles of the same category due to the use of mass-produced components of the AMRAAM and ESSM missiles.
As reported by TSAMTO, the AMRAAM-ER variant is designed specifically for ground-based air defense systems and will be offered as a new option when selling the NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System), jointly developed by Raytheon and Kongsberg. The front part of the rocket is the standard nose part of the AIM-120C-7 air-to-air missile. To increase the range, the missile is equipped with a 10-inch engine manufactured by Nammo, which was originally developed for the RIM-162 ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile).
