via Defense Talk.com
DUBAI: Raytheon Company has completed a fit check of the Joint Standoff Weapon in the internal carriage bay of the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft."The capabilities of the JSF combined with JSOW C-1's ability to precisely engage moving ships at sea from standoff ranges would give the U.S. and coalition warfighter a powerful capability," said Cmdr. Samuel Hanaki, U.S. Navy JSOW deputy program manager.During the fit check, Raytheon technicians loaded a JSOW shape in the JSF's internal carriage bay and conducted a series of tests to prove the bay door could close properly without damaging the aircraft or the weapon."JSOW C-1 is the world's first net-enabled standoff weapon that can engage a moving maritime target," said Phyllis McEnroe, JSOW program director for Raytheon Missile Systems. "With its more than 110 kilometer range (68 statute miles) and tunnel defeat capability, JSOW C-1 will give members of the JSF a critical capability no other weapon can provide."And that almost makes it a wrap. The critics will howl but this program has had a pretty spectacular month and half...every negative news story is sounding like desperation from the nay sayers....its just that obvious. Another F-35 win, more tears and fretting from Typhoon, Rafael and Gripen...and best of all for the allies, a stable, funded and predictable upgrade path for their next multi-role fighter.