Behind the unpredictable and explosive events covered in the media in the northwestern part of Aleppo province, where Ankara is playing the Kurdish card at a quick pace, intending to use a cunning method to push the FSA semi-terrorist formations and other currents of the “moderate” into the cleared territory of the Afrin canton, it is sometimes not easy pay attention to the seemingly "dull" and rare news materials about the development and adoption of foreign advanced models of military equipment that pose a certain degree of threat to our military units.
At the same time, some of these products are capable of significantly influencing the course of combat operations in a given tactical situation. So, for example, if we talk about ATGM FGM-148 "Javelin", then they are ways to seriously change the operational-tactical picture in favor of operators (USA, Canada, etc.) only in urban confrontation at a distance of 1, 5-2 km, while in a field suburban area dominated by flat terrain and steppe terrain (without the standard urban infrastructure), Javelins are turning into completely useless weapons, as their operators will be easily detected by small UAVs of optical-electronic reconnaissance of the enemy.
Today, we will consider a more serious type of air-based tactical missile weapons (with the possibility of optional expansion for ground launch), which can create serious problems for units of the ground forces of numerous states of the world, including the Russian Armed Forces. We are talking about a promising multipurpose tactical missile JAGM ("Joint Air-to-Ground Missile"), designed to deliver pinpoint strikes against numerous types of stationary and mobile targets (from armored units and surface ships of small displacement to well-protected ground strongholds).
The last successful tests of the brainchild of "Lockheed Martin" and "Raytheon" on a carrier suspension were carried out on January 5, 2018, on the basis of the US Marine Corps AH-1Z "Viper" attack helicopter, which took off from the US Navy Patuxent River airfield. The pilot and the operator of the Viper systems fully tested the operability of the digital data exchange bus (apparently MIL-STD-1760) between the helicopter's armament control complex and all three modules of the 3-band homing head, which will provide the developer with the necessary data to fine-tune the missile under its flexible application in various meteorological conditions. This should be followed by full-scale firing tests of the JAGM from the side of the percussion rotorcraft, which will allow fine-tuning the radio channel for correcting the JAGM flight trajectory on the marching section, designed to implement the "let me forget" concept. At the same time, JAGM will be able to receive target designation from several ground or air third-party sources - optical-electronic, radio-technical or radar reconnaissance means, which will also allow instant re-targeting of tactical missiles already on the trajectory.
The previous test of the prototype JAGM, carried out on May 25, 2016, was in flight, where the MQ-1C "Gray Eagle" unmanned attack reconnaissance aircraft was used as a launch vehicle. Then the rocket was able to destroy a moving target, in the role of which was a truck moving at a speed of 35 km / h. Recall that the program for the development of the advanced tactical missile "Joint Air-to-Ground Missile" was initially launched in accordance with the 125 millionth contract concluded between the US Ground Forces and the Boeing-Raytheon consortium back in 2008, and after 2 years on test site "White Sands" ("White Sands", State of New Mexico), the first full-scale tests were carried out from a specialized ground-based inclined launcher. The information received became the basis for continuing the development of the project already within the framework of the contract re-signed on September 8, 2015 as part of the Lockheed Martin - Raytheon consortium. From this information, we conclude that, despite the three-year "slippage" of the program, JAGM is still ready to become operational by 2020. A burning question for servicemen and experts automatically arises: what are the "critical" combat parameters that pose a threat to our ground forces, the new tactical missile of the 3rd generation possesses.
To do this, it is necessary to consider the features of the guidance system, as well as the power plant of the promising product. In particular, designed to replace heavy anti-tank / tactical missiles of the AGM-114 "Hellfire", AGM-65 "Maverick" and BGM-71F "TOW-2B" families, the advanced JAGM is a rather complex conceptual and constructive hybrid ATGM AGM-114R "Hellfire Romeo "(Option for use from surface, ground and air carriers), AGM-114K" Hellfire II "(modification with PALGSN increased noise immunity), AGM-114L" Longbow Hellfire "(version with ARGSN), as well as a small-sized" narrow bomb "GBU -53 / B. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin selected all the best elements from the above WTO funds and then integrated them into the JAGM project. The output was a multipurpose missile equipped with a three-band homing head, represented by an infrared module, an active millimeter Ka-band radar sensor with a frequency of 94 GHz and a resolution of about 1 m, as well as a semi-active laser guidance channel. Thus, the JAGM rocket in terms of flexibility in use in a difficult jamming environment is ahead of even the well-known Brimstone-2 from the Western European concern MBDA. So, the latter is equipped with only active radar and semi-active laser homing channels, which makes the missile ineffective in the case of enemy ground units using powerful electronic warfare systems and setting a smoke screen, while JAGM in such a situation can switch to an infrared homing channel.
The effectiveness of the IR channel can also be significantly reduced by equipping armored vehicles with such complexes as the "Cape" (reduces thermal radiation from the engine compartment by 2-3 times), or the so-called "heat cap" recently developed by the Moscow Higher Combined Arms School (MosVOKU), diverting the fields with the highest infrared signature of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles or armored personnel carriers outside their physical silhouettes. Nevertheless, in a combat situation, the 3 JAGM guidance channels do their job, significantly complicating the life of the crews of armored units. To the greatest extent, this concerns the majority of vehicles that are not equipped with active protection systems, or operate as part of brigades covered by standard self-propelled anti-aircraft missile systems Tor-M1, Tor-M2U, Tor-M2KM, Tunguska- M1 "and" Pantsir-C1 ". What is the primary problem here?
Despite the fact that the JAGM multipurpose rocket has similar geometric parameters to the AGM-114L "L ongbow Hellfire" ATGM (in addition to the difference in length, which is 170 mm longer in the first and reaches 1800 mm), its single-chamber solid-propellant rocket engine from the Aerojet company »With reduced smoke production (due to the absence of aluminum oxide), it has a low burning rate, so that over a long segment of the trajectory, the JAGM is not subject to such a phenomenon as ballistic braking. As a result, the range of the promising missile reaches 16 km when launched from the suspension of a low-flying attack helicopter and 28 km from the suspension of a medium-altitude UAV or carrier-based fighter F / A-18E / F "Super Hornet". We will focus on the tactics of using JAGM from an attack helicopter, enveloping the terrain.
Using natural features of the terrain (folds, hills and lowlands), as well as some provincial and urban infrastructure, the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter can freely attack enemy strongholds, positions of artillery batteries and armored units, remaining inaccessible to the above modifications " Thors "and" Shell ". For example, the operating range of the Tor-M1 / M2KM using 9M331 / D missiles is 12 and 15 km, respectively, while the JAGM can be launched from 16 km. With "Pantsir-S1" there is no guarantee of the destruction of such "Apache" either. Despite the fact that the complex is equipped with high-speed 57E6E missiles with an initial speed of 4700 km / h and a range of 20 km (due to low ballistic braking due to the small midsection of the combat stage hull), the radio command principle of targeting provides for an intercepted object to be located exclusively in the radar field of view. target tracking and missile guidance module 1PC2-1E "Helmet" or auxiliary optoelectronic complex 10ES1-E throughout the entire flight path of the missile defense system. The slightest "jerk" of the Apache for the "screen" of the elevated terrain or any structure will lead to a breakdown of the escort and the loss of the 57E61 interceptor missile.
As for the Tor-M2E / KM anti-aircraft missile systems, equipped with the latest compact anti-aircraft missiles 9M338 (RZV-MD), with a range of 16-17 km and an initial speed of 3600 km / h, there is no need to harbor great illusions either., because the Vympel Design Bureau, which is part of the Tactical Missile Armament Corporation, supplied the new product with the same radio command control system that requires line-of-sight to the target, which is rarely achieved in the case of attack helicopters. What, in this case, can the units of the Russian Army or our friendly armies rely on, deployed to areas of theaters of operations within the range of the AH-64D "Apache Longbow" equipped with JAGM missiles?
The presence of these machines will become a serious obstacle for the US Army Aviation in planning such missions using attack and attack reconnaissance helicopters.
Such air defense systems will be able to work without difficulty on attack helicopters operating from extremely low heights and folds in the terrain. Target designation for the complex will be able to come as from its own radar, if an approaching enemy helicopter leaves for at least a couple of seconds from behind the radio horizon / "terrain screen", or from airborne radar surveillance and guidance (RLDN); of course, there is no urgent need for direct line of sight of the target. The most promising development in this direction can be a modernized version of the 9M100 missile defense system, which is included in the ammunition of the Redut shipborne air defense systems and the Vityaz S-350 ground-based air defense systems. The "highlights" of this missile are the ability to work on targets outside the sector of view of the battery multifunctional radar, as well as the ability to act on target designation from additional means due to the presence of a receiving module for radio correction. The problem is that the range of this missile defense reaches only 15 km, which is not enough to defeat the carrier of the JAGM multipurpose missile at a distance of 16 km. And there is no information regarding the unification of the 9M100 with the "Torahs" in service. All projects on the use of modified air-to-air missiles RVV-AE / SD as part of anti-aircraft missile systems, unfortunately, have also been phased out.
The situation with active "radio" interceptor missiles of medium and long range 9M96D / DM, which, judging by the complete lack of information about their arrival in the Aerospace Forces and the lack of photographs of the PU 5P85TE2 with the corresponding "small" built TPKs, are present in the Chetyrehsotok "Only as prototypes at some exercises at the Kapustin Yar training ground. In the West, in terms of large-scale production of missiles with ARGSN, it is more and more "chocolate": the arrival of ERINT and "Aster-30" interceptor missiles in the troops is quite stable; Also, within the walls of MBDA, work is actively progressing on improved modifications of the Aster-30 SAM family - Block 1NT / 2. Do not forget about two more small-sized missiles integrated into the Land Ceptor and IRIS-T SLS anti-aircraft missile systems. We are talking about a CAAM rocket with an active RGSN and a range of 25 km and an IRIS-T with IKGSN and a range of about 15 - 17 km. The only drawback of these complexes can be considered the impossibility of working on the march (without stopping), while our self-propelled air defense systems have such qualities.
For example, the 96K6 Pantsir-S1 air defense system, which is unlikely to be able to destroy the Apache lurking behind the relief 16 km away, will be able to destroy several JAGM tactical missiles launched from its M299 launchers adapted for Hellfires. Intercepting JAGM is a fairly simple task, because these missiles do not perform anti-aircraft maneuvers on the trajectory, have a maximum flight speed of no more than 1400 - 1600 km / h and an effective reflecting surface of about 0.08 m2 due to the active radar sensor having a radar signature. What is extremely remarkable, the increased burnout period of the solid propellant charge will play a cruel joke on the JAGM: the missile can be easily detected not only with the help of the 1PC1-1E detection radar and the 1PC2-1E "Helmet" guidance, but also through the thermal imaging channel of the 10ES1-E optoelectronic station … Bottom line: the destruction of 3 - 5 JAGMs will become for one BM "Pantsir" quite an ordinary task, even in spite of electronic countermeasures from the enemy. The high potential of "Pantsirey" to intercept small-sized high-speed objects was confirmed at the time of the destruction of two 122-mm NURS type 9M22 "Grad" launched by militants at the Khmeimim airbase in December 2017. These objects were significantly more difficult to detect, track and "capture" than the slow and "glowing" JAGMs.
However, there is also an unpleasant moment. In the event of even a temporary absence of air support from the air superiority aviation (Sushki and Mainstay), the enemy can take advantage of the moment by sending a strike "bunch" on a mission as part of a flight of several Apache Longbows armed with the maximum number of JAGMs (16 units each), as well as one or a pair of multi-purpose attack reconnaissance helicopters Bell OH-58D "Kiowa Warrior". The latter are equipped with MMS ("Mast Mounted Sight") over-sleeve optical-electronic complexes, as well as more advanced AN / AAS-53, operating in television and infrared sighting channels with the possibility of laser target designation. The use of passive TV / IR channels will allow the Kiows to covertly calculate the positions of artillery, armored vehicles, as well as mobile self-propelled air defense systems due to the use of an inconspicuous compositional MMS module, slightly raised above the terrain, after which, via the tactical information exchange radio channel, target designation will be sent to board of "flying arsenals" AH-64D, which will be able to release 16, 32, 48 and more JAGMs on our units. Even 4 "Carapaces" are unlikely to cope with such a number of targets. Consequently, an impeccable "umbrella" of military air defense against strikes by promising JAGM missiles can be installed solely through the introduction of anti-aircraft interceptor missiles with infrared or active RGSNs, as well as support from fighter aircraft and airborne radar missile systems.
At the end of our work, I would like to find out whether the Russian army aviation has multipurpose tactical missiles that reach or even surpass the radically improved Hellfire modification in terms of technological level. Naturally, yes. These include two types of missiles - the Kh-38 heavy multipurpose missile in four modifications with a range of 40 km, as well as the long-range 2-stage anti-tank guided missile "Hermes-A" with a range of 15-18 km.
The first type (Kh-38) can immediately be deleted from the list of asymmetric response weapons, since the missiles have a launch weight of 520 kg and a length of 4200 mm. To maintain proper flight and technical qualities in a difficult tactical situation, an attack rotorcraft carrier can take on board no more than 2 such products, given that the suspension must also contain R-73RDM-2 close-combat missiles for self-defense. The missiles have an impressive radar signature, a flight speed of 2300 km / h, the absence of intensive anti-aircraft maneuvering modes, as well as single-channel homing heads (active RGSN, IKGSN, semi-active laser seeker or satellite radionavigation GLONASS module), which makes interference immunity extremely low parameters of the three-channel JAGM.
The Hermes-A / 1/2 fits much better into the precision weapon category for an asymmetrical response to the JAGM in the US Army. In particular, all missiles of this class have a maximum flight speed of 3600 km / h, which is 2.5 times faster than the JAGM. Due to the lower aerodynamic resistance of the 130-mm combat stage, the approach speed is not 1100 - 1200 km / h, but about 2000 - 2300 km / h, which, with a small physical silhouette and EPR comparable to a 120-mm mortar mine, makes it an extremely difficult object to intercept … The light weight of the missiles in the TPK (110 kg) stipulates the placement of 16 "Hermes" at the same time on four quadruple launchers of the Ka-52 or Ka-52K attack helicopter.
Four ATGM modifications are envisaged, differing in the type of guidance system, in particular: "Hermes-1" (INS with a semi-active laser seeker, requiring laser target designation), "Hermes-2" (INS with ARGSN, the "let it be forgotten" principle is implemented), " Hermes-A "(version with PALGSN and the possibility of radio correction), as well as a version with inertial guidance + IKGSN. The disadvantage of this architecture of the Hermes complex can be considered the unrealizability of changing the mode (channel) of the seeker during the flight of the missile to the target, which may be required in the event of a sudden use by the enemy of certain countermeasures (REP or optical-electronic interference). Nevertheless, the ammunition load of one Ka-52 can be represented by 4 ATGMs of each type, and pilots can make a choice in favor of one or another type of missile in accordance with the countermeasures expected from the enemy, and this is already a huge plus.
In October 2016, during the long-distance cruise of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean, numerous Russian media outlets, citing a source in the military-industrial complex, disseminated information about the upcoming tests of the Hermes-A complex, which was present in the armament of the Ka-52 helicopters. located in the wing of a heavy aircraft carrier; but further information, as it often happens in our country, was never followed. We will expect that 48 May full-scale JAGM firing tests from the AH-64D will still force our defense department to continue fine-tuning the Hermes-A project to a state of initial combat readiness.
