Raytheon delivered the first order of control section modification units for the Air Force’s AGM-88M High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, announced the company. This upgrade is known as HCSM. It adds Global Positioning System guidance and “improves inertial navigation system capability at a substantial savings compared to other weapons with similar capability,” said Jack Roosa, Raytheon’s HARM program director. The new gear “improves mission effectiveness and significantly reduces the risk of collateral damage,” he said. HCSM also adds features to the HARM for engaging time-critical targets and resisting countermeasure tactics, states the company’s Nov. 21 release. The delivery was made in early November, according to the release. Honeywell and Rockwell Collins are teamed with Raytheon for this work. HARMs are designed to suppress or destroy air defense radars.
The Air Force overall reduced its size by 120 aircraft in fiscal year 2021, but kept about the same number of fighter, bomber and attack aircraft, according to data supplied by the service. The F-35 fleet saw the biggest increase while the B-1B bomber fleet saw the largest decline.