Armed Forces - Royal Air Force - r8a4 - RAF Weapons - Long-Range-Air-to-Surface Weapons - Alarm - Brimstone

Armed Forces - Long-range Air-to-Surface Weapons - ALARM - Brimstone - Storm Shadow - RAF Weapons

RAF WEAPONS

LONG-RANGE AIR-TO-SURFACE-WEAPONS

ALARM stands for Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile and this type was introduced into RAF Service in the early 1990s. The missile is launched at low level near the suspected site of an enemy radar and, after launch, rapidly climbs to about 12,000 m.

At this height, a small parachute opens and the missile descends earthwards while the on-board radar searches the broadband for emissions from enemy radar.

Once a target has been identified, the motor is re-ignited and the missile makes a supersonic dive onto the target. The total RAF buy in the first manufacturing run was believed to be some 750 missiles. Since its original entry into service, radars have become increasingly more sophisticated in their ability to avoid detection and attack by anti-radiation weapons such as ALARM.

ALARM Specifications

Length

4.3m

Diameter

0.22

Span 0.72m

Weight

265kg

Propellant

1 x Royal Ordnance Nuthatch solid fuel two-stage rocket

Range

93km

Guidance

Passive Radar Homing/Strap-down INS

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BRIMSTONE

The Advanced Air-launched Anti-Armour Weapon (AAAW), known as Brimstone, is an area weapon to attack enemy armoured forces as early and as far forward as possible.

It replaces the BL755 cluster bomb in the anti-armour role, and will be carried by Tornado GR4/4a, Harrier GR7/9 and Eurofighter Typhoon.

These fixed-wing aircraft will complement the capability provided by the Apache AH64-D, which is armed with the Hellfire anti-armour weapon. Brimstone operates automatically after launch, which helps reduce the hazard to the attacking aircraft from enemy fire. Development and procurement of Brimstone has cost the RAF some �822m since 1996.The weapon entered service in mid 2005.

BRIMSTONE Specifications
Diameter	0.18m
Length	1.81m
Weight	49kg
Propulsion	Cast double-base propellant rocket motor
Cruising Speed	Boost to supersonic
Range	8km
Guidance	Inertial guidance + seeker determination to target acquisition, then seeker control

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STORM SHADOW

Storm Shadow (also known as Conventionally-Armed Stand-Off Missile or CASOM) is a long-range, air-launched, stand-off attack missile that will allow the RAF to attack high-priority targets deep inside enemy territory without exposing the launch aircraft to high-intensity enemy air defences.

The missile is the BAe version (with some UK enhancements) of the French Matra APACHE/SCALP missile and entered service in late 2002. It will be fitted to Tornado GR4, Harrier GR7/GR9 and the Typhoon. The RAF is believed to have purchased an initial batch of 500 missiles. The programme cost is some �980m.

Storm Shadow was deployed operationally and fired with tremendous success during the 2003 Iraq War.

STORM SHADOW Specifications
Length	5.1m
Diameter	0.48m
Span	2.84m
Weight	1,300kg
Propulsion	TRI 60-30 Turbofan
Range	Estimate 350km
Guidance	Navigation using (TERrain PROfile Matching) system as well as GPS, Terminal guidance using imaging infra-red sensor, Autonomous target recognition algorithms, BROACH warhead.