HARM was acknowledged as being the combat planners' weapon of choice in the suppression of enemy air defense radars.
Background
The AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) is a joint United States Navy/United States Air Force program which was developed by the Navy and Raytheon Company. HARM was designed as a technically advanced follow-on to Standard ARM and Shrike, with deliveries beginning in 1982. Continued hardware and software upgrades have allowed HARM to stay abreast of the advancing radar threat. HARM has proven itself in both reliability and combat performance. Its first combat use was in Libya in 1986. In 1991, during Desert Storm, the firing of more than 2000 missiles all but silenced the Iraqi radar threat. HARM was acknowledged as being the combat planners' weapon of choice in the suppression of enemy air defense radars.
Operation
HARM's primary mission is to suppress or destroy surface-to-air missile radars, early warning radars, and radar-directed air defense artillery systems. Once airborne, HARM can operate in three modes: preemptive, missile-as-a-sensor, and self-protect. In long-range preemptive scenarios HARM is fired before locking onto the threat radar. Targeting is provided through pre-flight planning, or cued via on/off-board sensors. Most aircraft are equipped to fully utilize HARM as a sensor, providing cockpit displays which greatly enhance aircrew target selection and threat prosecution. Radar warning receivers (used with the self-protect mode) and other more sophisticated ESM systems provide additional capabilities for locating enemy radar emitters. Once the aircrew is satisfied with the target selection, the missile is launched. It then homes in on the selected target, makes appropriate in-flight corrections, and eliminates the threat.
HARM Program Highlights
HARM is produced by Raytheon Company and delivered to the United States military for use on a variety of Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps aircraft. These include the A-6E, EA-6B, A-7E, F-4G, F-16, and F/A-18. The United States government makes HARM available to its Allies through Foreign Military Sales. A number of countries have elected to procure HARM for use on F/A-18, F-16, and IDS and ECR Tornado aircraft. There are a number of other aircraft which are candidates for HARM integration. Raytheon also manufactures integration and test/support equipment which complete the HARM weapon system suite.
HARM was designed with performance and quality in mind. In actual field usage, HARM now demonstrates reliability four times better than specification, with performance accuracy being reported as 30% better than design requirements. But the real proof of a weapons program lies in its combat effectiveness. In Libya, Desert Storm, Allied Force, Desert Fox, and Southern and Northern Watch; HARM played a central role in suppressing and eliminating the enemy radar threat. No modern weapons arsenal is complete without HARM in its inventory.
//This Weapon i'd imagine played a significant role in both Gulf Wars. Any Comments o the Weapon and how this Missile might or can be improved, other then regular Software upgrades
oh and does anyone know how many AirForces Use this and similar weapons weapon
Background
The AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) is a joint United States Navy/United States Air Force program which was developed by the Navy and Raytheon Company. HARM was designed as a technically advanced follow-on to Standard ARM and Shrike, with deliveries beginning in 1982. Continued hardware and software upgrades have allowed HARM to stay abreast of the advancing radar threat. HARM has proven itself in both reliability and combat performance. Its first combat use was in Libya in 1986. In 1991, during Desert Storm, the firing of more than 2000 missiles all but silenced the Iraqi radar threat. HARM was acknowledged as being the combat planners' weapon of choice in the suppression of enemy air defense radars.
Operation
HARM's primary mission is to suppress or destroy surface-to-air missile radars, early warning radars, and radar-directed air defense artillery systems. Once airborne, HARM can operate in three modes: preemptive, missile-as-a-sensor, and self-protect. In long-range preemptive scenarios HARM is fired before locking onto the threat radar. Targeting is provided through pre-flight planning, or cued via on/off-board sensors. Most aircraft are equipped to fully utilize HARM as a sensor, providing cockpit displays which greatly enhance aircrew target selection and threat prosecution. Radar warning receivers (used with the self-protect mode) and other more sophisticated ESM systems provide additional capabilities for locating enemy radar emitters. Once the aircrew is satisfied with the target selection, the missile is launched. It then homes in on the selected target, makes appropriate in-flight corrections, and eliminates the threat.
HARM Program Highlights
HARM is produced by Raytheon Company and delivered to the United States military for use on a variety of Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps aircraft. These include the A-6E, EA-6B, A-7E, F-4G, F-16, and F/A-18. The United States government makes HARM available to its Allies through Foreign Military Sales. A number of countries have elected to procure HARM for use on F/A-18, F-16, and IDS and ECR Tornado aircraft. There are a number of other aircraft which are candidates for HARM integration. Raytheon also manufactures integration and test/support equipment which complete the HARM weapon system suite.
HARM was designed with performance and quality in mind. In actual field usage, HARM now demonstrates reliability four times better than specification, with performance accuracy being reported as 30% better than design requirements. But the real proof of a weapons program lies in its combat effectiveness. In Libya, Desert Storm, Allied Force, Desert Fox, and Southern and Northern Watch; HARM played a central role in suppressing and eliminating the enemy radar threat. No modern weapons arsenal is complete without HARM in its inventory.
//This Weapon i'd imagine played a significant role in both Gulf Wars. Any Comments o the Weapon and how this Missile might or can be improved, other then regular Software upgrades
oh and does anyone know how many AirForces Use this and similar weapons weapon