Lockheed Martin tested the JAGM-MR missile on December 2, at the China Lake Test Range in California, demonstrating the missile's tri-mode seeker and its capability to discriminate between multiple targets.
Joey Drake, program management director of Air-to-Ground Missile Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, commented, “The enhanced tri-mode seeker provides a new level of precision guidance and defense capabilities, allowing JAGM-MR to lock onto the selected target even when there's multiple targets in the field.”
The tri-mode seeker of JAGM-MR incorporates a near-infrared (NIR) sensor, distinguishing it from the dual-mode sensor system used in its predecessor, JAGM. The NIR sensor is designed to improve missile performance, enabling better target tracking and guidance under diverse conditions and target sets.
In addition to last year's live fire event showcasing JAGM-MR's increased range capability of 16 km, this year's guided flight test demonstrated the maturity of the fully functioning tri-mode seeker, emphasizing its ability to engage targets at an increased stand-off range.
The JAGM system is designed and developed in Orlando, Florida, and is manufactured across various Lockheed Martin facilities in Dallas, Orlando, and Ocala, Florida; Archibald, Pennsylvania; and Troy, Alabama.