The brand new live-fire occasion demonstrated the power of the AGM-88G AARGM-ER to navigate a difficult flight profile in a GPS-denied setting.
The U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Methods Command (NAVAIR) and Northrop Grumman introduced on Jan. 27, 2026, a brand new live-fire check of the AGM-88G Superior Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Prolonged Vary (AARGM-ER). The announcement comes a month after the corporate and the U.S. Air Pressure performed a brand new check of the Stand-in Assault Weapon (SiAW), which has been developed utilizing know-how from the AARGM-ER.
New Reside-Hearth Take a look at
Based on the images on DVIDS, the check was performed on Jan. 12 over Level Mugu Sea Vary in California. An F/A-18F Tremendous Hornet may be seen carrying two dwell AGM-88Gs, with a minimum of one being launched.
In a put up on social media, NAVAIR mentioned the check demonstrated the missile’s “potential to navigate a difficult flight profile in a GPS-denied setting.” The service didn’t additional elaborate on the know-how used.
Thrilling progress for AARGM-ER! The profitable dwell fireplace occasion showcases the dedication and innovation of the @USNavy and our groups. This important check is a major milestone on the trail to delivering superior strike missile capabilities to the fleet.
— Northrop Grumman (@northropgrumman) January 27, 2026
The GPS is utilized by the AGM-88G and its predecessor, the AGM-88E, together with an anti-radiation homing receiver to introduce a counter-shutdown functionality. This enables the weapon to be efficient towards enemy radar and communications websites that will shut right down to confuse incoming anti-radiation missiles.
NAVAIR additional added that this check is “a important step in paving the way in which for operational functionality later this yr.” The Preliminary Operational Functionality (IOC) was initially deliberate for 2024, earlier than it slipped to 2026.
It’s unclear what number of captive carry flights, drop checks and live-fire occasions had been performed with the AARGM-ER. Up to now, in keeping with public information, the weapon has been fired a minimum of 5 occasions for the reason that first live-fire occasion in July 2021, with the most recent reported in Might 2023.
AARGM-ER
The AARGM-ER is the evolution of the most recent variant of the AGM-88 HARM (Excessive-Pace Anti-Radiation Missile), the AGM-88E AARGM, a medium-range air-to-ground missile employed for Suppression and/or Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD/DEAD). The AGM-88E is the results of a cooperative program with the Italian Air Pressure began in 2005 and developed as an improve and praise to the AGM-88B/C. The AARGM program designed and produced a brand new Steerage Part and modified the prevailing Management Part, that are coupled with the legacy HARM Rocket Motor and Warhead Part, wings and fins.
The brand new Steerage Part encompasses a passive anti-radiation homing receiver, satellite tv for pc and inertial navigation system and a millimeter wave radar for terminal steerage, with the added potential to ship pictures of the goal through a satellite tv for pc hyperlink earlier than affect. The aim of those new Steerage Part is to enhance the effectiveness of the legacy HARM, particularly towards enemy radar and communications websites that will shut right down to confuse incoming anti-radiation missiles (counter-shutdown functionality) or pop-up threats.
As acknowledged by the U.S. Navy, AARGM baseline capabilities embrace an expanded goal set, counter-shutdown functionality, superior alerts processing for improved detection and finding, geographic specificity offering aircrew the chance to outline missile-impact zones and impact-avoidance zones, and a weapon impact-assessment broadcast functionality offering for battle injury evaluation cueing.
The AARGM-ER builds up on these capabilities to acquire an much more superior weapon that’s being built-in on the F/A-18E/F Tremendous Hornet and EA-18G Growler and it’s appropriate for a future integration on all of the variants of the F-35 Lightning II. The AARGM-ER combines the Steerage Part and Management Part of the AGM-88E with a brand new, bigger rocket motor and a brand new warhead. The management surfaces have been redesigned too, acquiring aerodynamic strakes alongside the edges for elevated carry and low-drag tail surfaces. The missile will reportedly have roughly double the vary and velocity of the AGM-88E.
One of many components behind the AGM-88G design was the necessity for the missile to suit contained in the F-35’s weapons bays, because the earlier variations of the AGM-88 can’t match due to their massive management fins. So, till the missile is prepared for fielding, the F-35’s SEAD functionality is usually reliant on its AESA (Lively Electronically Scanned Array) radar with refined digital assault capabilities, together with false targets, community assault, superior jamming and algorithm-packed information streams.
