Raytheon Developing New Variant of Joint Standoff Weapon

Raytheon is in works with the US navy develop and upgrade it new variant of its existing standoff off weapon which will carry a bigger warhead and lower cost per unit.

Raytheon, under contract with U.S. Naval Air Systems Command, expects to complete development of the JSOW Block II in early 2006. Block II is planned to reduce JSOW unit cost by reducing the parts count and improving the manufacturing process.

All variants of future JSOW will be manufactured in the Block II configuration. Block II will maintain all of the standoff and survivability of the current JSOW and include an improved anti-jam Global Positioning System receiver.

Development of a new payload option for the JSOW A is underway which should also be complete in early 2006. The new version will use a unitary 500 pound BLU 111 warhead.

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Block II is all about cost reduction. The US Air Force has decided to pull out of the JSOW program and cancel its future purchases after this year. The USAF plans to buy an upgraded version of the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) instead. As a result, the unit cost of JSOW has skyrocketed. If it is not reduced, the Navy will likely not be able to continue buying JSOW and it will be cancelled. The Block II effort is a last ditch effort to save the program rather than a major improvement in its capabilities.