US Navy to extend Pacific reach with long-range anti-ship F-16 stealth missiles: report
Missile upgrades are part of effort to expand capabilities in preparation for potential conflict with China in Asia-Pacific, US report says
The US military is set to integrate long-range ship attack missiles into its fighter jets to strengthen its ability to launch air assaults in a potential war with China in the Pacific, according to a US media report.
Citing a contract notice posted online by the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), US defence news website The War Zone reported on Tuesday that the US Navy was set to help integrate a variant of the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) onto the F-16 Viper fighter.
In the notice posted on Monday, NAVAIR said it intended “to enter into sole source negotiations and subsequently award a cost-plus fixed fee delivery order to Lockheed Martin Corporation-Missiles Fire Control”.
“The anticipated [delivery order] is for required integration and test support of the AGM-158C-1 missile on the F-16 aircraft platform,” the notice said.
The stealth weapon has a range of 200 miles (322km) and features several advanced features, including autonomous route-planning supported by a suite of on board electronic support measures that allows the missile to automatically alter its course in response to sudden threats, as well as better track its target via its radio-frequency emissions.
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