Long range anti ship missile programs

the RATTLR long range missile was studied but not developed.

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth $157 million for the development of an advanced long range anti ship missile (LRASM). The new anti-ship missile and its associated systems will extend the effective attack range of Navy warships beyond current or projected enemy anti-air and anti-ship capabilities.

While LRASM is positioned as a direct successor for the Harpoon, the development of a more ambitious weapon known as ArcLight is also under evaluation at DARPA as a quick reaction weapon hitting time critical targets at a distance of 2,000 nautical miles within 30 minutes. ArcLight will employ a rocket booster, sustainer accelerating the weapon to hypersonic speed, from where the strike vehicle will glide at high speed, carrying a warhead weighing 100-200 pounds to strike the target with pinpoint accuracy. ArcLight, like LRASM, will also be stored in, and launched from existing Mk 41 VLS.

Anti-ship missiles are compared at wikipedia

Unlike current anti-ship missilesLRASM be capable of conducting autonomous targeting, relying on on-board targeting systems to independently acquire the target without the presence of prior, precision intelligence, or supporting services like Global Positioning Satellite navigation and data-links. As an autonomous weapon LRASM will rely exclusively on on-board sensors and processing systems. According to DARPA, these capabilities will enable positive target identification, precision engagement of moving ships and establishing of initial target cueing in extremely hostile environment. The missile will be designed with advanced counter-countermeasures,to effectively evade hostile active defense systems.

LRASM will comply with existing weapon launchers and storage systems, fitted to match existing the VL-41 Vertical Launch System carried on board all modern U.S. Navy combat ships. There are currently 8,500 VLS tubes in the US Navy including those based on cruisers (CG-47), destroyers (DDG-51) and submarines (SSN, SSGN).

If you liked this article, please give it a quick review on ycombinator or StumbleUpon. Thanks

Featured articles

Ocean Floor Gold and Copper
   Ocean Floor Mining Company