The U.S. Navy has selected the RAACM-ER cruise missile for the new CHAOS project, which involves creating low-cost long-range weapons for allies. This was reported by Defense Express, writes UNN.
Details
It concerns the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile – Extended Range (RAACM-ER), developed by the American company CoAspire. According to Naval News, the contract is worth $70 million, and deliveries will be made through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
The RAACM-ER will be adapted to the requirements of the CHAOS (Coalition Heterogeneous Affordable Offensive Strike) project, which aims to create mass-produced and affordable precision weapons for U.S. forces and their partners.
The range has been increased more than 4 times
Defense Express notes that the RAACM-ER is an upgraded version of the basic RAACM missile, which was created under the ERAM program. The ground-based version of the missile can be compared to the Chost project, which the U.S. Army is funding under the Low-Cost Containerized Missiles (LCCM) program.
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The new version has received an enlarged fuselage and significantly greater flight range. While the basic RAACM can engage targets at a distance of up to 400 km, the RAACM-ER has a stated range of over 1,800 km.
According to the publication's assessment, the missile is a kind of cheaper alternative to the JASSM and Tomahawk cruise missiles. The cost of the RAACM-ER version has not yet been disclosed, but the basic RAACM costs only a few thousand dollars.
Ukraine may have already used another missile from the ERAM program
Defense Express recalled that Ukraine has likely already used another cruise missile from the ERAM program – the AGM-188A Rusty Dagger, which was integrated onto F-16 fighters in April.
According to the publication, the Russian side has already claimed high accuracy of the AGM-188A Rusty Dagger after strikes on targets, but there is no official confirmation of Ukraine's use of this missile yet.
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