SCALPEL (Small Contained-Area Laser Precision Energetic Load) is a laser-guided bomb produced by Lockheed Martin. The weapon is being developed from the Enhanced Laser Guided Training Round (E-LGTR) which is the training version of the Paveway II series of bombs. The rationale behind the system is to provide a light, low-collateral damage weapon which can utilise the infrastructure and platform integration already in place for the E-LGTR system. On 14 March 2010, the US Navy announced its intention to purchase Scalpel.[1] The Navy completed some integration work in 2011 and the weapon was still self-funded as of 2016, but Scalpel could be ready for operations in "a year or two" depending if a launch customer commits extra funding and test range support.[2] The Scalpel Plus version has a dual-mode SAL/GPS guidance system.[3]
Specifications
edit- Weight: 100 lbs (45.3 kg)
- Length: 75 in (1905 mm)
- Diameter: 4 in (102 mm)
- Guidance: Semi-active laser homing.
Program status
edit- May 2008 – Three inert weapons successfully carried and released by AV-8B Harriers.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Lockheed's Scalpel bomb finds first customer". Flight Global. 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
- ^ Lockheed advancing Dual Mode Plus and Scalpel bombs – Flightglobal.com, 29 March 2016
- ^ Lockheed developing GPS and laser-guided Scalpel – Flightglobal.com, 27 September 2016
- ^ "Lockheed Martin Successful in First SCALPEL Flight Test". Archived from the original on 29 May 2008.
External links
edit
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