Zhiyuan Institute of Strategy and Defense
When the US Air Force went into battle, the combination of tactical weapons they used was no different from the 90s and early 21st centuries. Many tactical weapon combinations date back to before the 1991 Gulf War.
However, since Operation Desert Storm, enemy air defenses have improved dramatically, shooting, blinding or interfering with individual high-velocity munitions that would have been unimaginable 30 years ago and may well now be a reality. The number of highly sensitive long-range air defense radars and sensors equipped by potential adversaries has rapidly increased, which, combined with new interceptor weapons, has made it more difficult to strike heavily defended targets.
The Air Force needs a new generation of precision weapons to enhance current strike capabilities and deter potential adversaries.
In October 2021, Air Combat Command Commander Mark M. Admiral D. Kelly said: "Our fifth-generation air force needs to be equipped with fifth-generation weapons. He lists such weapons as one of his five priorities.
Admiral Mark Kelly posted this concept image of the F-22 launching the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile on Instagram in 2022, officially showing off the new weapon in development for the first time.
However, what exactly a "fifth-generation" weapon is, however, is not well defined. Kelly's comments point to fifth-generation fighters (including the F-22, F-35 and B-2) that have stealth capabilities and superior situational awareness by fusing sensor data. However, these platforms still use weapons and ammunition designed for 4th generation fighters. The Air Force needs new ammunition to maximize all the capabilities of modern stealth aircraft.
Mark Gunzinger, retired colonel and director of future concepts and capability assessments at the U.S. Air Force's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Research and former deputy secretary of defense, believes the Air Force fleet is "too small, not survivable, not long enough, and not lethal enough to deal with the kinds of conflicts it is now being asked to be prepared to deal with." The Air Force is struggling to find "the right combination between short-range fighters, long-range bombers, and (autonomous) coordinated combat aircraft... What should their payload be, what range should it be, what level of survivability should it reach, and what level of off-zone strike capability relative to penetration should be. ”
The same problem plagues weapon combinations, he said. Today's stocks of precision-guided munitions "are too small for a balance-of-power conflict ... Lack of survivability [and] ... Prefer a shorter range". The Air Force must find the "sweet spot" between the range, warhead size, survivability, speed and cost of precision-guided munitions.
In November 2021, Gunsinger published an article titled "Affordable Quality," in which he urged the Air Force to develop "a range of affordable, next-generation medium-range (92-463 km) air-to-surface precision-guided munitions that can be carried in large quantities by fifth-generation fighters and stealth bombers."
The US Air Force is clearly moving in this direction. According to senior US Air Force leaders, think tanks and industry experts, fifth-generation weapons and ammunition should have the following key characteristics:
More stealth. To break through modern defense systems, fifth-generation weapons and ammunition must be low-observable, or concealed using electronic means until they reach the end of the engagement. Such weapons must be resistant to electronic attacks and cyber technology deception.
Faster. The ammunition of the fifth generation of weapons is so fast that even if detected, it is difficult to intercept before hitting the target. This is the logic behind hypersonic weapons currently under development.
Longer range. In order to launch before entering the range of enemy weapons, striking from a greater distance than existing weapons is a vital capability.
More compact structure. To remain stealthy, advanced aircraft must carry weapons and ammunition inside. Miniature electronics and new propulsion methods can make the new weapon ammunition smaller in size, increasing the number of ammunition that can be carried per aircraft. As the U.S. Air Force develops unmanned, autonomous "wingman" coordinated combat aircraft, smaller weapons and ammunition will also be critical, and such aircraft may be more compact and carry less payload than manned aircraft.
Modular design. The Air Force has solicited weapons concepts for "mix-and-match" seekers, warheads and propulsion devices from industry. The modular design increases productivity and reduces costs while increasing manufacturing flexibility. An open architecture should make it easier to create various striking options.
Collaboration. Some fifth-generation weapons and ammunition will be able to coordinate with each other to strike targets in the most effective order; Overwhelm defenders, mask their own targets, or increase their survivability. The U.S. Air Force is experimenting with many of these "swarm attack" concepts. The new weapons and ammunition will also gather information on the way to the target to satisfy the understanding of the entire unit of the unfolding battle.
Digital design. Modern computer-based design and modeling will enable the Air Force to make thousands of design variations and options to achieve the best combination of capability and production capacity.
The AGM-183A Hypersonic Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) was demonstrated before flight tests at the B-52 at Edwards Air Force Base in California, a hypersonic missile designed to attack high-value targets from long distances.
Raytheon's Peregrine Falcon is a compact, high-speed air-to-air missile designed to combat drones, cruise missiles and manned aircraft. The weapon is designed with affordability in mind, and its low weight allows the number of missiles carried by fighters to double.
L3 Harris, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are all competing to develop zone-attack weapons that the Air Force envisions to suppress and destroy enemy air defenses. It will replace high-speed anti-radiation missiles for countering increasingly sophisticated integrated air defense systems and must be sized to fit the F-35's bomb bay.
10 fifth-generation weapons and ammunition under development
The U.S. Air Force is developing a range of new air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons to fill the gap in direct attack bombs, standoff ground-attack missiles, and long-range air combat missiles. Not all R&D projects will eventually go live, but since modularity is a trend, some weapons can still be added to the inventory. The list is based on media reports, industry day briefings and relevant budget documents, and a number of classified weapons may also be under development. These 10 fifth-generation weapons can be divided into three categories: air-to-air missiles, hypersonic missiles, and ground attack weapons:
(1) Air-to-air missiles
· AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM). This radar-guided air-combat missile will be the same size as the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, which has been in service for 30 years, but with a much longer range. The AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, produced by Lockheed Martin, debuted in 2019 and has hardly disclosed anything since then, but the Air Force admitted that it conducted live-fire tests in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The AIM-260 combined advanced tactical missile has an enhanced range that surpasses China's PL-15 missile and, in some respects, restores the "preemptive" superiority of U.S. aircraft. The Navy and Army are said to be working with the U.S. Air Force to develop joint advanced tactical missiles.
Long-Range Engagement Weapon (LREW). Another potential successor to the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile or complement to the Joint Advanced Tactical Missile. The long-range engagement weapon, reportedly made by Raytheon, is a larger missile that can only be mounted outside a fighter jet and could be used to shoot down enemy airborne early warning aircraft, tankers or bombers at long ranges.
Modular Advanced Missile (MAM). The modular advanced missile, likely the successor to the AIM-9X short-range air combat missile, will have stackable propulsion and interchangeable seekers. The modular advanced missile is produced by Boeing, and its contract also supports other company projects such as the Compact Air-to-Air Missile (CAAM), the Extended-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ERAAM) and the Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile (LRAAM). Extended-range air-to-air missiles/long-range air-to-air missiles may be competitors to Raytheon's long-range engagement weapons.
·“ Peregrine air-to-air missile. Raytheon's concept achieves the capabilities and extended range of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles in a package half the size of an advanced medium-range air-to-air missile. The company received funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory in December 2022. Previously, it was a self-funded project.
·“ CUDA air-to-air missile. The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory began evaluating a Lockheed proposal in 2019 based on the Small Advanced Capability Missile Program, in which Kuda would also be half the size of an advanced medium-range air-to-air missile, controlled by a unique propulsion system around the rocket body.
(2) Hypersonic missiles
AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW). Air-launched rapid response weapons are the U.S. Air Force's large, fast-moving hypersonic missiles that fly faster than five times the speed of sound. Rapid reaction weapons are designed to be used against high-value or maneuvering targets, so speed of attack in an out-of-range range is critical, and rapid reaction weapons use rockets to accelerate to hypersonic speeds, then detach and maneuver as they glide to the target. The producer of the rapid reaction weapon is Lockheed Martin, which has accumulated several successful flight tests after a series of failures, but US Air Force officials have been silent on planned production quantities. Lockheed's contract partially proves that it can be produced in an affordable way. A B-52 bomber can carry 4 rapid reaction weapons on its wing pylons. The B-1B and F-15EX may also be equipped with it.
Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM). Raytheon won competition for a hypersonic attack cruise missile in September 2022 and is expected to have initial operational capability around 2027. The missile is a ground attack weapon that uses an air-breathing scramjet engine and is small enough to be carried on a fighter; The F-15EX is considered a possible platform. It builds on the Air Force-Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC).
(3) Ground attack weapons
Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW). In May 2022, the U.S. Air Force awarded a competitive contract for zone-attack weapons to L3 Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. This weapon is designed to suppress and destroy the enemy's air defense, replacing high-speed anti-radiation missiles that have been in use since the 80s of the 20th century. As pathfinder-type weapons for clearing defensive radars and surface-to-air weapons, in-zone attack weapons add ballistic missile launchers and other time-sensitive targets to their target lists. The weapon must fit into the weapons compartment of the F-35. Once the contractor is selected, the formation of combat capability in 2026 is considered.
Stand-off Attack Weapon (SoAW). In September 2022, the U.S. Air Force officially announced a bid for its standoff attack weapons and made it clear that it was looking for multiple suppliers to produce the Air Force's selected design. The Air Force has not disclosed range requirements for off-zone attack weapons. It could serve as a low-cost, long-range weapon to fill the niche of the AGM-158 Joint Advanced Surface Standoff Missile–Extended Range (JASSM-ER) and its close cousin, the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM).
Global Precision Attack Weapon (GPAW). The Global Precision Attack Weapon is likely to be the successor to the U.S. Air Force's series of GPS-guided bomb Joint Direct Attack munitions, released in the fall of 2020. The Air Force needs small and light weapons capable of hitting surface targets as well as solid or deeply buried targets, but in large quantities and at an affordable price. Such weapons should have advanced sensors and a degree of autonomy. The Global Precision Attack weapon will feature an open-like architecture and be compatible with advanced and conventional aircraft, with "cockpit selectable warhead capability."