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Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Warship Destroyed: A U.S Navy F/A-18 Warplane Fired a ‘Stealth Munition’

Super Hornet Fighter
An F/A-18 Hornet with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323, MAG-11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), carrying ten AIM-120 and two AIM-9X Air-to-Air missiles, prepares to refuel over the W-291 training area in southern California, March 6. MAG-11 supports and integrates aviation combat power and capabilities while enhancing 3rd MAW's ability generate lethality for the supported Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). (U.S Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Dominic Romero)

Key Points and Summary: The U.S. Navy’s Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) has proven its lethal precision after sinking two decommissioned ships during the 2024 RIMPAC exercise.

-Engineered by Lockheed Martin with BAE Systems, LRASM delivers a 1,000-pound penetrator warhead from several hundred miles away and uses advanced sensors, stealth features, and semi-autonomous guidance to find and destroy moving enemy vessels—even in GPS-denied environments.

-The weapon is launched from aircraft such as the F/A-18 and B-1B bombers, offering a revolutionary standoff option in maritime combat. By bolstering distributed lethality, LRASM helps deter peer adversaries while enhancing the Navy’s shift back toward high-intensity, blue-water warfare.

How LRASM Revolutionizes Naval Warfare: Inside the Deadly Missile

Two United States Navy ships were destroyed in a live fire exercise last year. An advanced, stealthy air-to-surface weapon called the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) sank the ships.

The weapon was designed to guide its way to an enemy target semi-autonomously, adjust course in flight as needed, and function in a GPS-denied or highly contested environment. 

The LRASM been in development for many years and was recently used to sink a decommissioned ship in a live-fire demonstration from an F/A-18 at the Rim of the Pacific 2024 multinational exercise.  

Years ago, during an earlier phase in the development of the weapon, Lockheed Martin engineers told Warrior Maven the LRASM was being built with all-weather targeting capability using a multi-modal seeker designed to discern targets. The multi-mode sensor is engineered with a weapons data link and an enhanced digital anti-jam GPS system able to distinguish key targets from within a group of ships. 

“The program will use autonomous guidance to find targets, reducing reliance on networking, GPS and other assets that could be compromised by enemy electronic weapons,” said a statement from the Office of Naval Research years ago. 

LRASM

A Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) integrated on F/A-18E/F Super Hornet 12 August 2005 at NAS Patuxent River, Md.

Configured to fire from a B1-B Bomber and F/A-18, the LRASM fires a 1,000-pound penetrator out to ranges of at least 200 nautical miles to attack enemy ships, drones, aircraft, and land-based targets. For many years, Lockheed has partnered with BAE Systems to integrate an advanced sensor capable of identifying moving ships from otherwise unreachable ranges. 

Years ago, Lockheed also test-fired the LRASM from a deck-mounted ship launcher and a Vertical Launch System to incorporate surface-to-surface or surface-to-air weapons. 

Stealth Weapon

An air-fired weapon capable of destroying moving enemy ships from a distance of several hundred miles introduces new concepts of operation for maritime blue or open water greater power warfare; it enables fighter aircraft to target otherwise difficult-to-detect-and-destroy mobile enemy ships from standoff ranges beyond the reach of deck-fired ship guns or other countermeasures. 

LRASM’s semi-autonomous guidance is perhaps most significant as it enables air attacks without relying upon an air or surface laser designator or a separate guidance device. The weapon is built with stealth characteristics, and its semi-autonomous guidance technology makes it very difficult to “track,” “discern,” or “intercept.” LRASM also has stealth characteristics, engineered with a rounded nozzle and smoothly blended fins. The concept is for the weapon to be fast, stealthy, semi-autonomous, and capable of bringing new tactics to maritime warfare. 

Distributed Maritime Operations

The development of LRASM is entirely consistent with the Navy’s existing “distributed lethality” and “distributed maritime operations” strategy, which seeks to better arm the fleet with long-range precision offensive and defensive firepower.

Part of the rationale is to move back toward open or “blue water” combat capability against near-peer competitors emphasized during the Cold War. While the strategic and tactical capability never disappeared, it was emphasized less during the last 10-plus years of ground wars wherein the Navy focused on counter-terrorism, counter-piracy, and things like Visit Board Search and Seizure.

FA-18 Super Hornet Fighter U.S. Navy

(Dec. 7, 2024) LT Steven Holcomb, attached to the Gunslingers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105, operates a F/A-18E Super Hornet on the flight deck during flight operations, Dec. 7, 2024. USS George H.W. Bush is in the basic phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan conducting flight deck certification.(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jayden Brown)

These missions are, of course, still important. However, the Navy seeks to substantially increase its offensive “lethality” to deter or be effective against high-tech adversaries.

Having longer-range or over-the-horizon ship and air-launched weapons is also quite relevant to the “distributed” portion of the strategy, which calls for the fleet to have the ability to disperse as needed.

Being able to spread out and conduct disaggregated operations makes Navy forces less vulnerable to enemy firepower.

About the Author: Kris Osborn 

Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

Written By

Kris Osborn is the Military Affairs Editor of 19 FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven - Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

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