AASM
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| Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (air-to-ground modular weapon) | |
|---|---|
| Type | Air-to-Ground precision strike. |
| Service history | |
| In service | expected 2006 |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Sagem Defense Securite |
| Unit cost | 110,000 euros (1 meter precision), 80,000 euros (10 meters precision) |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 340Kg |
| Length | 3.10m |
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| Warhead | 250kg standard or penetration bomb (preexisting non-guided bombs), such as the Mk82 or BLU111 |
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| Engine | Solid rocket motor |
| Operational range |
15km (very low altitude launch), 50km (high altitude launch) |
| Guidance system |
Hybrid GPS/INS |
| Launch platform |
Mirage 2000, Rafale |
The Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (air-to-ground modular weapon) (AASM) is a French Precision Guided Munition expected to enter operational service in 2006.
Contents |
[edit] History
The program started in 1997, when the French defense procurement agency, the DGA, launched an international competition on the design for the weapon. 31 companies took part in it. Sagem won the contract in 2000.
The first test campaign started on December 6, 2004 and ended on July 26, 2005. While demonstrating excellent results, this campaign showed the need to change some of the aerodynamic features of the weapon. In its current state, it is able to regain altitude in the last phase of the flight in order to gain a stronger angle and more kinetic energy. This is particularly useful against hardened targets and buried bunkers.
[edit] Inventory / variants
France has an operational need for 3000 units (2000 for the Air Force, 1000 for the Navy). The AASM exists in 2 variants: décamétrique tout temps (all weather 10 meters precision) and précision métrique jour/nuit (fair weather only day/night, with 1 meter precision. Note that the précision métrique version also uses an infrared guidance, in addition to the GPS/inertia of the décamétrique tout temps. 50% of each version are to be delivered to the French armed forces. Also note that India has also shown interest in this weapon, and that it will be marketed (unlike with the SCALP-EG cruise missile, no special restriction applies on this type of weapons) to potential Rafale and Mirage 2000 customers. During 2007, the French Armed Forces are going to acquire 76 AASM bombs; 52 will be used by the Armée de l'Air and 24 by the Marine Nationale.
The total program cost will be 408 million euros.
[edit] AASM IR
In February 2008 were successfully fired precisely guided modular AASM ammunition with an infrared sensor. The infrared picture of the target area is analysed by special automatic target recognition algorithm. Special software recognises the targets in area and also guides the AASM to the target with 1 m deviation.
[edit] Further Development
According to the official French website in charge of weapon contracts,[1] several new versions will be studied or even developed in the years to come, including:
- A kit for 1000 kg bombs (this version is to be developed from 2008).
- A laser guided version.
- A métrique tout temps version (all weather, 1 meter precision).
Some other concepts are also considered, such as:
- An anti-radar version.
- A data-link version.
- A submunition version.
- An improved penetration warhead.
The current versions are to be built until 2014.
