13.09.2004, 14:47
Zitat:French Defence Procurement Agency Launches AASM Precision-Guided Weaponhttp://www.defense-aerospace.com/
(Source: French Ministry of Defence; issued Sept. 10, 2004)
(Issued in French; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)
PARIS --- The French defence procurement agency, Delegation Generale
pour l’Armement (DGA), has carried out the first test launch of the AASM laser-guided bomb.
On Monday September 6, 2004, the first Armement Air-Sol Modulaire
was launched from a Mirage 2000 combat during a trial. The weapon
was tracked during all of its flight trajectory by the DGA’s test centers:
Centre d’Essais des Landes (CEL) at Biscarosse and Centre d’Essais de la Mediterranee.
Developed by Sagem, the AASM will allow the
guidance of a 250-kilo conventional bomb from the launch aircraft.
The weapon has a range of several dozen kilometers, and it has
an accuracy of 1 meter or 10 meters. The latter version is
also fitted with GPS guidance,
and will be delivered to the forces beginning in 2006.
It will give the standard attack (F2 version) of the Rafale combat aircraft an all-weather capability.
The former version, with an accuracy of 1 meter, will in
addition be fitted with a thermal imaging sight which further improves terminal accuracy. Its delivery to the forces is planned to begin in 2008.
The AASM confers an increased range, and an
all-weather capability, to “iron” bombs in the inventory. It is the first weapon of its category to be developed in Europe.