| SLAMRAAM | |
|---|---|
| Type | Surface-to-air missile system |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2008–2011 |
| Used by | United States Army (planned) |
| Wars | None (program canceled before deployment) |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Raytheon, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace |
| Manufacturer | Raytheon, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace |
| Unit cost | Approximately $623 million (program cost) |
| Variants | SLAMRAAM-ER (Extended Range) |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Approximately 150 kg (missile) |
| Length | 3.66 m (missile) |
| Diameter | 0.18 m (missile) |
| Engine | Solid-fuel rocket motor |
| Maximum speed | Mach 4 |
Guidance system | Inertial guidance with active radar homing |
Launch platform | Humvee (M1152A1 HMMWV), HIMARS |
The SLAMRAAM (Surface Launched Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM) was the United States Army program to develop a Humvee-based surface-to-air missile launcher for the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, manufactured by Raytheon Technologies and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. Surface-launched AMRAAM missile was first used in Kongsberg's NASAMS air defense system, fielded in 1995.[1]
Although the US Army canceled the SLAMRAAM program in 2011, the mobile launcher became part of NASAMS configuration options.
History
The Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), developed by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, consists of a number of vehicle-pulled batteries (containing six AMRAAM launch containers each) along with separate radar trucks and control station vehicles.
The US Marine Corps conducted trial of surface-launched AMRAAM missiles during 1997, demonstrating intercept ranges of over 15 km. In April 2001, the Marines awarded Raytheon a contract for the development of the Complementary Low-Altitude Weapon System (CLAWS), with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace as a subcontractor and Boeing as the developer of fire and control shelter. In 2006, the USMC terminated the CLAWS program as part of spending cuts.[2]
In February 2004, the US Army Aviation and Missile Command awarded Raytheon a contract to develop SL-AMRAAM. In 2007-2008, Raytheon successfully tested launching AMRAAM missiles from a six-missile launch rails on a M1097 Humvee.[2] They also added the capability to fire AIM-9X Sidewinder from the launcher. The missiles receive their initial guidance information from a radar not mounted on the vehicle.
In 2008, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested the purchasing of SLAMRAAM as part of a larger 7 billion dollar foreign military sales package; the sale would include 288 AMRAAM C-7 missiles.[3]
In 2009 the US Army test fired the SL-AMRAAM from a HIMARS artillery rocket launcher as a common launcher, as part of a move to switch to a larger and more survivable launch platform.[4][5]
Since the missile is launched without the benefit of an aircraft's speed or high altitude, its range is considerably shorter.[citation needed] Although the engagement range for AMRAAM is estimated to be 75 km for AIM-120B and over 105 km for AIM-120C-5, these ranges are provided for head-on encounters by fast moving aircraft at an altitude, and the range is significantly shorter when the same missiles are launched from stationary ground platforms. Further dimensioning for a stationary ground-launched-missile system is its maximum altitude reach, which by rule of thumb is one third of its maximum horizontal range.[citation needed]
Cancellation
On January 6, 2011, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that the U.S. Army has decided to terminate acquisition of the SLAMRAAM as part of a budget-cutting effort.[6]
The National Guard Association of the United States has sent a letter asking for the United States Senate to stop the Army's plan to drop the SLAMRAAM program because without it there would be no path to modernize the Guard's AN/TWQ-1 Avenger Battalions.[7]
High Mobility Launcher
A more recent version of the SLAMRAAM program is the NASAMS High Mobility Launcher made in cooperation with Kongsberg, where the launch-vehicle is a Humvee (M1152A1 HMMWV), containing four AMRAAMs and two AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II each.[8] First HML launchers were delivered to the Norwegian Army in 2013.
See also
- Hisar
- MBDA MICA VL
- MBDA CAMM missiles
- Surface-to-air systems using variants of the CAMM missile:
- Italian Army: Grifo, with the CAMM-ER missile
- Italian Air Force: MAADS (Medium Advanced Air Defence System) with the CAMM-ER missile
- British Army: Sky Sabre, with the CAMM missile[9]
- Polish Air Force: Mala Narew, with the CAMM missile[10]
- Polish Air Force: Narew, with the CAMM-ER missile[11]
- NASAMS
- NOMADS
- IRIS-T SLM
References
- ^ "SLAMRAAM, EFV Getting Axed?". Military.com. 2017-11-28. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
- ^ a b "Surfaced-Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (SLAMRAAM) – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance".
- ^ "DSCA Announces Billions in Military Sales". Aviation Week. September 11, 2008. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
- ^ "HIMARS Launcher Successfully Fires Air Defense Missile". Archived from the original on August 13, 2011.
- ^ "Raytheon, Army test new SLAMRAAM platform". Upi.com. September 10, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
- ^ "Statement on Department Budget and Efficiencies" (PDF). U.S. Department of Defense. January 6, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 11, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
- ^ "U.S. Army Recommends SLAMRAAM Termination". Defensenews.com. Retrieved April 12, 2012.[dead link]
- ^ "New capability in the NASAMS air defence system". Kongsberg.com. June 21, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ "Sky Sabre | The British Army". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
- ^ "Mala NAREW Short-Range Air Defence System, Poland". Army Technology. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
- ^ Tilles, Daniel (2023-11-08). "Poland agrees £4 billion deal with UK for air defence missiles and launchers". Notes From Poland. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
External links
- kongsberg.com - NASAMS - Surface Launched AMRAAM
- army-technology.com - Surface-Launched AMRAAM (SL-AMRAAM / CLAWS), United States of America
