The inert SiAW missile was released from an F-16C over the Gulf of Mexico in early November, well before its delivery was announced.
The U.S. Air Force has just announced that last month, on Nov. 7, 2024, an F-16C of the 40th Flight Test Squadron performed the first drop test of the Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) missile. The test allowed to verify that the new weapon could separate from an aircraft safely before further testing can be conducted.
Notably, the test happened even before the announcement of the delivery of the first test missile. In fact, Northrop Grumman only announced the delivery on Nov. 18, mentioning that the inert weapon would be used to verify that the aircraft can safely carry the weapon and separate from it.
The test
In a press release, the Air Force mentioned that the inert weapon was technically defined as a jettison test vehicle, and thus contained no rocket motor or internal electronics. “The JTV is a tool used specifically to determine whether the weapon safely separates from the aircraft upon commanded release,” further explained the service.
The 40th FTS was not the only unit involved, as multiple units of the 96th Test Wing worked together to coordinate, monitor and execute this mission. In fact, test conductors planned and controlled the mission out of the Eglin Central Control Facility; engineers monitored the separation and will conduct post-flight analysis; pilots and photographers flew the mission and captured the aerial test footage.
“Successful execution of this test was a testament to the outstanding teamwork from everyone involved,” said Maj. James Tipton, 780th Test Squadron assistant director of operations.
The new weapon
The Air Force described the new SiAW missile as a weapon designed to provide strike capability against rapidly relocatable targets like cruise and antiship missile launchers and jamming platforms. The program is under the responsibility of the Air Force Armament Directorate.
The SiAW builds on the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER), currently in an advanced development phase with the U.S. Navy. While they appear identical externally, SiAW is an all-new weapon, which will be used against a broader range of anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) targets beyond air defense radars.
In Sep. 2023, the service has awarded Northrop Grumman an approximately $705 million contract to deliver the new generation air-to-ground weapon that will be carried internally by the F-35A. SiAW will provide strike capability to defeat rapidly relocatable targets as part of an enemy’s anti-access/area denial environment.
The company said is leveraging its weapons systems design, development and production expertise to deliver SiAW on the Air Force’s digital engineering priorities and accelerate capability for the warfighter. When the contract was awarded, Northrop Grumman said that it would develop the weapon, conduct platform integration and complete the flight test program over the following 36 months.
The SiAW program
The SiAW program previously awarded contracts in 2022 to Northrop, Lockheed Martin and L3Harris, and then in 2023 two contracts to Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman for the final stage of the weapon’s first phase. Phase 2 development is a continuation of the Air Force requirement for this first-of-its-kind Middle Tier Acquisition large weapon program focused on digital engineering, Weapon Open System Architecture and agility.
Phase 2 consists of two primary increments: Phase 2.1, which concludes with a guided vehicle flight test, and Phase 2.2, which concludes with three additional flight tests and the delivery of SiAW leave-behind prototype missiles and test assets. Once this phase is completed, the program is expected to transition to a major capability acquisition before being fielded on the F-35A Lightning II and possibly on the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
The Air Force is targeting an initial operational capability by 2026, with plans to buy 400 of the missiles by 2028 and eventually up to 3,000 in the following years. In the meanwhile, the service will also get the AARGM-ER as an interim capability. SiAW is expected to be employed against targets such as command-and-control sites, ballistic missile and cruise missile launchers, GPS jamming systems, anti-satellite systems, other high-value or fleeting targets.
The SiAW is expected to be faster than both the current AGM-88 HARM and future AARGM-ER and with a greater, yet unspecified, range. The weapon is expected to have multiple sensors and high-resolution GPS guidance, in addition to open architecture interfaces.
