Greatest New Weapon

[PubFather]

What do you think is the most powerful/useful new weapon currently under development/recently in service? By weapon, I mean missile/bomb etc, rather than aircraft and excluding nukes.

For me, my top 10 go roughly as follows...

1) SDB
2) Brimstone
3) JDAM
4) Stormshadow/JASSM
5) Meteor
6) Amraam D
7) Aster 15/30
8) JSOW
9) Brahmos
10) Arrow

I appreciate that this is not a definitive list but will happily argue about any of them.

SDBs, I have put first largely for the following reasons.
1) They validate the internal load for the F35 (and to some extent the F22)
2) They offer a tremendous "force multiplication" from longer range than current weaponry, even for legacy platforms.
3) The potential for tri-function terminal seekers that would increase their usefulness ten-fold, and make them a credible alternative to most agms.

[gunnut]

Oh, small diameter bomb...I thought you meant Scout Bomber, Douglas...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBD_Dauntless

[Dago]

Stand-off clusters. Either in the form of personal clusters or anti-armor munitions depending on the mission enviroment. Mainly due to the fact of such a surviable, large payload, and flexability that it incorporates.

[ArmchairGeneral]

Oh, small diameter bomb...I thought you meant Scout Bomber, Douglas...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBD_Dauntless

The Dauntless absolutely rocked. As opposed to the TBDs. "Devastators" in name only.

[hello]

What do you think is the most powerful/useful new weapon currently under development/recently in service? By weapon, I mean missile/bomb etc, rather than aircraft and excluding nukes.

For me, my top 10 go roughly as follows...

1) SBD
2) Brimstone
3) JDAM
4) Stormshadow/JASSM
5) Meteor
6) Amraam D
7) Aster 15/30
8) JSOW
9) Brahmos
10) Arrow

I appreciate that this is not a definitive list but will happily argue about any of them.

SBDs, I have put first largely for the following reasons.
1) They validate the internal load for the F35 (and to some extent the F22)
2) They offer a tremendous "force multiplication" from longer range than current weaponry, even for legacy platforms.
3) The potential for tri-function terminal seekers that would increase their usefulness ten-fold, and make them a credible alternative to most agms.

"and to some extent the F22"

Yeah, the F-22 would have nearly no AG capability without SDBs. Though I've never heard of a new, non-nuke, non-aircraft weapon called the SBD... Small Bomb Diameter?

I'd go with SDB too myself. It's got the blast of a 1000lb bomb fitted into a tiny package for stealthy internal carriage. A B-2 could hit several high-priority targets on a single mission and still have quite a bunch left, with 200 of them in the bays.

JASSM is also good, because it gives legacy platforms a chance against LR SAMs like S-300/400.

[tim52]

What do you think is the most powerful/useful new weapon currently under development/recently in service? By weapon, I mean missile/bomb etc, rather than aircraft and excluding nukes.

For me, my top 10 go roughly as follows...

1) SBD
2) Brimstone
3) JDAM
4) Stormshadow/JASSM
5) Meteor
6) Amraam D
7) Aster 15/30
8) JSOW
9) Brahmos
10) Arrow

Missing from the list and to me probably the most important weapon in development today and for the foreseeable future is the planned use of Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA) Airborne Radar as a non-kinetic weapon that can be used both offensively and defensively.

Whether used to disrupt communication or radar networks, achieve a soft kill on enemy aircraft or missiles by frying their electronics, insertion of virus or worms into computer networks, AESA will give warfighters much greater flexibility in how they engage the enemy in the future than simply having to relay on kinetic weapons.

[gunnut]

The Dauntless absolutely rocked. As opposed to the TBDs. "Devastators" in name only.

TBDs were obsolete before the war even began. The Avenger was a huge improvement over the Devastator. I saw the Avenger at an air show once. That thing is huge.

The amazing thing was that Helldiver, SB2D, which was to replace the Dauntless, wasn't much of an improvement despite all the bells and whistles on it. The navy ended up using Helldivers to complement the Dauntless.

[leib10]

AMRAAM looks really promising, especially considering its combat record.

[PubFather]

Yeah, the F-22 would have nearly no AG capability without SDBs. Though I've never heard of a new, non-nuke, non-aircraft weapon called the SBD... Small Bomb Diameter?

I'd go with SDB too myself. It's got the blast of a 1000lb bomb fitted into a tiny package for stealthy internal carriage. A B-2 could hit several high-priority targets on a single mission and still have quite a bunch left, with 200 of them in the bays.

JASSM is also good, because it gives legacy platforms a chance against LR SAMs like S-300/400.

Yeah SBD - its a new British weapon.. d'uh... :)

It's potential for the US bomber fleet is nothing less than awesome - with their extended loiter time and high altitude... It does make the downsizing of the number of airframes much more palatable and I think offers the best armament for UCAVs (along with Brimstone/Hellfire type missiles).

If (and when) SDB's get the proposed tri-mode terminal guidance... ouch.. you really wouldnt want to be on the end of it...

I agree on JASSM/Storm Shadow - although I should also have included ARMIGER and the American proposed anti-radar missile. I think they offer a very credible anti-ship role, as well as anti-radar duties.

[PubFather]

AMRAAM looks really promising, especially considering its combat record.

It does look like a tasty missile - especially lauched from a stealthy platform. From a conventional one - Meteor would be my first pick for 2 reasons.

1)It should have a better NEZ than even the Amraam D, given the ramjet propulsion.
2) Its datalink should allow it be controlled by AWACs if required (so combined with point 1) it should kill legacy Migs and Sukhoi's by the bucket load.

[JG73]

What do you think is the most powerful/useful new weapon currently under development/recently in service? By weapon, I mean missile/bomb etc, rather than aircraft and excluding nukes.

For me, my top 10 go roughly as follows...

1) SDB
2) Brimstone
3) JDAM
4) Stormshadow/JASSM
5) Meteor
6) Amraam D
7) Aster 15/30
8) JSOW
9) Brahmos
10) Arrow

I appreciate that this is not a definitive list but will happily argue about any of them.

SDBs, I have put first largely for the following reasons.
1) They validate the internal load for the F35 (and to some extent the F22)
2) They offer a tremendous "force multiplication" from longer range than current weaponry, even for legacy platforms.
3) The potential for tri-function terminal seekers that would increase their usefulness ten-fold, and make them a credible alternative to most agms.

Despite that such a list is like the comparison of apples and pears I ask myself why you UK brothers always forget mentioning TAURUS? ;)

[hello]

It does look like a tasty missile - especially lauched from a stealthy platform. From a conventional one - Meteor would be my first pick for 2 reasons.

1)It should have a better NEZ than even the Amraam D, given the ramjet propulsion.
2) Its datalink should allow it be controlled by AWACs if required (so combined with point 1) it should kill legacy Migs and Sukhoi's by the bucket load.

Yeah, and the Meteor is always burning it's motor, not turning it off and on like AMRAAMs, mainly because of the ramjet, and thus increasing long range maneuverability. Although it's not as long-ranged as Phoenix, it's more maneuverable from longer ranges, and better against fighters. AMRAAM C is not as long ranged as Meteor, although it has similar maneuverability, but D may get a bit closer or equal to it. The only problem is that those two big protruding ramjets on the missile prevent it from internal carriage on any existing stealth plane.

BTW, even AMRAAM has an AWACS datalink.

[avon1944]

RE: Greatest New Weapon

My candidate is the "Boeing 747-400F Airborne Laser!"

Adrian

[nutter]

My candidate is the "Boeing 747-400F Airborne Laser!"

Adrian

Solution : highly reflective aircraft :D

[hello]

This is only for missiles/bombs, not aircraft.