Jane’s 360:
The air-launched Lockheed Martin AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) is on course to provide the US Navy (USN) with an early anti-surface warfare (ASuW) Increment 1 capability following a sixth successful test firing announced by the company on 19 March.
The test saw two production-standard LRASMs launched from a US Air Force (USAF) Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber impact a maritime target, demonstrating the system’s consistency and reliability.
As noted by Lockheed Martin, the LRASM is designed to meet the ASuW needs of the USN and USAF in contested environments. The air-launched variant provides an early operational capability for the USN’s offensive ASuW Increment 1 requirement to be integrated on board the USAF’s B-1B (up to 24 missiles in its internal weapons bay), in 2018 and on the USN’s Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (eight missiles on its underwing pylons) in 2019.
