Raytheon and the US Air Force (USAF) have successfully completed flight tests for the high-speed anti-radiation missile (HARM) control section modification (HCSM).
HCSM, which is an upgrade to existing HARM missiles, improves effectiveness against even the most modern enemy radar, and also minimises the possibility of collateral damage.
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Raytheon Air Warfare Systems vice-president Mike Jarrett said: "HCSM provides the warfighter an effective, affordable solution that improves the probability of hit, defeats counter-HARM tactics and controls where the missile can and cannot fly."
The recent development represents the latest in a series of flight tests completed for the newest product in the HARM missile inventory.
The flight test saw an F-16 aircraft firing an HCSM AGM-88F against an emitter that was located outside a pre-planned zone of exclusion, the company stated.
In addition, a similar radiating emitter attempted to confuse the missile. However, HCSM successfully impacted the correct target using its new GPS / inertial measurement unit (IMU) capability.
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By GlobalDataAfter the completion of the test series, the USAF will make a fielding decision and are expected to declare the new HCSM capability operational.
The AGM-88 HARM is a tactical, air-to-surface missile designed to inhibit or destroy surface-to-air missile radars, early warning radars and radar-directed air defence artillery systems in the battlefield.
More than 4,000 HARM missiles are currently installed on a range of military aircraft internationally.
Raytheon received the HCSM contract from USAF in 2012 and the missile was recently cleared for full-rate production.
