AGM 142 Popeye Missile by Rafael in Israel

http://www.rafael.co.il/marketing/news.aspx?FolderID=192&docID=1222

Successful AGM-142 Tests in Australia
RAFAEL REPORTS SUCCESSFUL FIRING TRIALS OF AGM-142E IN AUSTRALIA
28 July 2005 | Source: RAFAEL
The Australian Air Force successfully carried out two firing trials of the AGM-142E (Popeye) air-to-surface missile from an F-111 fighter aircraft earlier this month. These trials conclude a series of suitability tests between the weapon system and the aircraft as part of the on-going process of introducing the system into operational service in the Australian Air Force.

The AGM-142E missiles were developed by RAFAEL Armament Development Authority Ltd and are produced by PGSUS, a joint venture between RAFAEL and Lockheed Martin.

The missiles are rocket-powered and equipped with a penetration-fragmentation warhead. They are guided by electro-optic seekers, providing pinpoint precision from stand-off ranges.

The AGM-142s are in operational service in the Israeli Air Force on the F-15 aircraft, as well as in the Air Forces of Turkey and Korea on the F-4 aircraft. They were also integrated onto the B-52 by the American Air Force.

The Australian Defence Minister, Mr. Robert Hill, said of the firing trials that they were of the utmost importance due to the missile's upcoming introduction into operational service. The Minister also acknowledged that the integration of the AGM-142-E onto the F-111 will enable the Australian Air Force to achieve precision impact from longer ranges.

"The success of the Australian trial constitutes a significant milestone in the Popeye/AGM-142 project and in the successful cooperation between Lockheed Martin and RAFAEL," says Mr. Y. Einbinder, Head of the Air-to-Surface Directorate of the Missile Division in RAFAEL.

RAFAEL designs, develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of advanced defence systems for all branches of the Israel Defence Forces and other armed forces worldwide. These leading-edge products are based on RAFAEL's vast technical and operational experience. In addition to its defence technologies, the company has also formed partnerships with civilian counterparts to develop commercial applications based on its proprietary technology.

ADF WEAPONS PROJECTS
Article from ADM • JUNE 2002
F-111 WING PROBLEMS MAY DELAY STAND-OFF WEAPON
by Gregor Ferguson Adelaide

Recently discovered outer wing fatigue problems on the F-111 may result in a further delay in the introduction of the AGM-142 stand-off missile under Project Air 5398. Integration difficulties had already delayed service entry of the weapon by a couple of years until late-2004, although progress has been made by Boeing Australia Ltd, which is prime contractor for the integration work at Amberley. To launch and guide the AGM-142, the F-111C requires integration of the missile's own software and associated data link pod with the aircraft's mission computer as well as additional wiring to the under-wing hard points. The likely combat configuration will see a missile and datalink pod on adjacent weapons pylons under each wing of the aircraft (see photo).The first tranche of hardware, consisting of inert missiles and data link pods for training purposes, has now arrived in Australia, allowing aircraft integration to advance a significant step.

Image taken by David de Botton at RAAF Base Richmond Air Show October 06

The design phase was due for completion around the time ADM closed for press, with prototype hardware modification due to start immediately after. This will be followed by ground testing by Boeing and ARDU.

Flight testing of the prototype is scheduled to begin early next year, followed by a test firing at Woomera.

This is the first time such a complex platform/weapon systems integration task has been carried out entirely in Australia. Not withstanding the delays thus far, this project represents an important investment in the development of the hardware and software engineering and integration skills required to supportand upgrade the F-111s through their life of type and to carry out similar upgrades on the F-111 and other aircraft down the track when new weapons such as the Follow-On Stand-Off Weapons (FOSOW) are acquired. However, the DMO says that the full impact of the F-111 wing fatigue issues recently discovered by DSTO during static testing at Fishermens Bend is yet to be quantified. There has been no suggestion that the F-111 will be retired prematurely and that the AGM-142 program should be cancelled , but the wing issue had already had a slight effect on the project schedule. According to the DMO, early indications are that some further delays will be incurred if a F-111C wing replacement program goes ahead -this is likely to divert key personnel during Air 5398 prototyping activities.

The RAAF ordered the AGM-142 under an FMS arrangement from the US Air Force which also operates the weapon, as does the Israeli Air Force. The RAAF variant employs an imaging IR seeker which provides a 'fire and forget' capability and can also be steered to target impact by the navigator via the data link. The missile also comes with a choice of blast/fragmentation and penetrating warheads, which can be selected and fitted to the weapon before take-off.

AGM-142 on first display with RAAF F-111C at Avalon Airshow 1997

Image : Carlo Kopp.

F-111 carrying AGM-142 missile CAPTION: Integrating the AGM-142 with the F-111 has been a lengthy process, likely to be further delayed by recently-discovered wing fatigue problems.
(Photo: Sgt Tanya Baldwin/RAAF 92 Wing Photographic)

More of Carlo Kopp's proposed F-111 camouflage gif's are at /Carlo/gallery.htm

See Carlo Kopp's 'AGM-142 Raptor - The RAAF's New Standoff Weapon' article published in Australian Aviation (Dec 96).

RAAF F-111 to get AGM-142
JERUSALEM, April 22 (UPI) -- The Australian air force has purchased some 20 Popeye air-to-ground missiles from Israel's largest arms manufacturer, Raphael, for $13 million, the Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported Monday.
Raphael received the tender after outbidding two American missile manufacturers. High precision tests showed the laser-guided Popeye to be more accurate than its American competitors, the report said.
The Israeli firm is negotiating a similar Popeye sale to the Royal British Air Force, competing with America's largest arms manufacturer McDonnell Douglas and major European companies.
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For our announcement about news from UPI and AP, see our posting in clari.net.announce, or see our web page (http://www.clari.net).

Length	4.82 m (~ 15.8 ft)
Launch Weight	1360 kg (~ 2992 lbs)
Warhead	340 kg
Guidance	Inertial, TV and IIR
Range	75 km (~ 42 nm)

Page base location - http://wwwF-111.net/AGM142.htm