On Tue, 2 Mar 2004 08:33:11 -0500, "Kevin Brooks"
wrote:

"Rob van Riel" wrote in message
. com...
Perhaps
this is not overly relevant when engaged in wholesale warfare, with hordes
of
Apaches to take care of targets of opportunity/necessaty (SP?), but how
much of
a problem would it present in a small scale bush fire war? Is my idea of
CAS
totally outdated? Or am I mistaken about the capabilities of weapons like
JDAM?

To a certain extent it is likely a bit dated. We are now producing the
Tactical Tomahawk cruise missile, which features the capability of being
retargeted in flight--the Navy's SLAM-ER ATA already has that capability. So
programming the coordinates for SDB's or larger JDAM's into them while
enroute to the target is not going to be a big deal. Nor will these be the
only weapons used by the F-35 in the CAS arena.

Quick update. The ability to update target coordinates for JDAMs in
flight is currently being trialled under the Affordable Moving Surface
Target Engagement (AMSTE) - at least I think that's what the acronym
expands to.

Basically two off board SAR radars provide updates - IIRC the trials
are using a JSTARS and a phased array (I think from the F-35 program,
but can't readily recall). The first fe test shots have provided CEP
of the order of 10m, so eneough to get a kill on truck and light
armour. I imagine by the time JSF reaches squadron service this will
be more routine (perhaps once coords are passed by the ground troops
the F-35 radar will lock on to the SAR return of teh target
automatically.

There are also demos in progress for cheap IIR seekers to strap to the
fron of JDAMs.

---
Peter Kemp

Life is short - drink faster