Boeing

Boeing Joint Common Missile Flight Test Successful

Boeing (NYSE: BA) today demonstrated key components of the Joint Common Missile with a successful flight test at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz.

The Joint Common Missile is a multi-service, multi-user, multi-platform missile designed to engage and destroy stationary, re-locatable, and moving targets ranging from buildings and bunkers to tactical vehicles and advanced armor.

The test demonstrated the Boeing Joint Common Missile's ability to exceed all range requirements using an advanced rocket motor developed by ATK (Alliant Techsystems) and represents significant risk reduction for the upcoming Joint Common Missile System Development and Demonstration (SDD) Program.

"This demonstration shows Boeing's commitment to the Joint Common Missile program and maturity of the technology being proposed," said Roger Krone, senior vice president, Army Systems, for Boeing. "Along with previous successful tri-mode seeker demonstrations and successful Brimstone firings from fixed-winged aircraft, we have significantly reduced risk in the program. Our Joint Common Missile approach builds on the success of missile development and platform integration experience from the Boeing design of the original HELLFIRE missile and its adaptation to fixed-winged aircraft in the Brimstone program."

The Boeing team, including key members Northrop Grumman Corporation and ATK, is competing to provide a low risk, affordable missile system solution to meet its customers' needs.

"The warfighter needs affordable systems that are flexible to use in a variety of situations," said Tony Brooks, JCM program manager, Phantom Works, for Boeing. "Our approach is right on target with government requirements and will allow precise weapons employment on the integrated joint battlefield from a variety of launch platforms even in adverse weather."

The Joint Common Missile program is using a modular approach to replace HELLFIRE and Maverick missiles on both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft for the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps. This joint program will provide the warfighter with commonality, interoperability, lower risk and total lifecycle cost when compared to currently fielded systems. The Boeing-Northrop Grumman team has extensive experience in delivering low-cost weapons to U.S. and foreign military customers.

Boeing is combining its experience in delivering effective and affordable weapon systems with its AH-64 Apache, RAH-66 Comanche and F/A-18 Hornet weapons integration experience to offer a transformational solution for Joint Common Missile. Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector brings sensors/seekers experience from Longbow Hellfire, Eagle Eyes, the BAT submunition, Comanche Automatic Target Recognition, and multi-mode seeker hardware and software to provide the seeker of choice to Boeing and the U.S. Army.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $25 billion business. It provides systems solutions to its global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in launch services.
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For further information:
Robert A. Algarotti
The Boeing Company
314-233-1532