Destroy Russian air defense systems: As AGM-88 HARM missiles help Ukraine
The upgraded version of the weapons system, AAGM-88e Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile can be used on more aircraft, including F-35 Lighting II, F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, as well as E/A-18G Growler. The need to modify AGM-88 HARM for use with the F-35 stealth fighter, is probably caused by the fact that the reserves of the improved version are small.
The Air Force probably seek to provide a finished stock of anti-radiolocation ammunition of all types as long as the production of AAGM-88E is not excellent. The Air-Earth-Earth Class High-speed AGM-88 HARM tactical rocket is designed to defeat radar and enemy air defense systems, which opens up opportunities for further air strikes of other aircraft. Raytheon produced by the ammunition was first armed in 1984 and costs about $ 200,000 per unit.
It develops a supersonic speed equipped with a high -power warhead and is able to hit targets up to 48 kilometers. Its length is almost 4 meters, and the weight is 363 kg. Conflict in Ukraine shows that radio electronic struggle is an integral part of the modern war. Both Ukrainian and Russian military use radio electronic fighting systems for tracking, targeting, disrupting the ideas and destruction of the enemy.
Whether it is the muffling of a Russian platoon in the Donbass, whether it is obstacles to the wave of Ukrainian drones, which is impending-the electronic war plays an invisible but key role in hostilities. Pentagon sent some AGM-88 HARM to Kiev. Ukrainian repairmen converted their Su-25, Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters so that they are compatible with AGM-88 HARM.
And the Ukrainian Air Force is already fully used by this ammunition, suppressing Russian air defense systems near the battlefield or strategic objects. The Russian military was not ready to counteract such ammunition and lost several key air defense systems. With the receipt of the F-16 Fighting Falcon on the weapons of Ukraine in the coming months, the Ukrainian Air Force will receive a much more powerful combination to perform the tasks of radio electronic wrestling.
Pentagon has concluded with Lockheed Martin a contract worth $ 97. 3 million for the integration of high-speed anti-radar missiles AGM-88G (HARM) for all F-35 Lighting II options, including those used Allied countries. The $ 97. 3 million contract involves the modernization of a powerful anti-radial rocket for the US military and other participants in the F-35 program.
The US Air Force (flies on F-35A), Navy (flies to F-35C), the Marine Corps (F-35B and F-35C), as well as participants of the foreign military sales program and other parties that do not They are included in the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense (in fact, all participants of the F-35 program). In addition, the contract obliges Lockheed Martin, which is also a manufacturer of F-35 Lighting II, to reprogram high-precision equipment in the last batches of aircraft.