Guidance and Control Developments for the First Lightweight AGM-130 Missile

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Guidance and Control Developments for the First Lightweight AGM-130 Missile

W. J. Marx / R. D. Ehrich / J. R. Beaty

The AGM-130 air-to-ground missile is a stand-off weapon with an extensive product ancestry. The GBU-15 guided bomb unit, developed in the mid- 1970s was the first in this series of weapons. In the early 1980s, a rocket motor was attached to the underside of the GBU-15, resulting in the AUM-130A air-to-ground, precision-guided missile. In the early 1990s, the BLU-109/B penetrator warhead was integrated into the modular weapon system, resulting in the AOM-130C weapon. Midcourse guidance (MCG) capabilities using coupled Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) technology were added in 1994. Operational modes to support Horizontal Target Attack (HTA) are the most recent operational enhancement to be added to the production version of the AGM- 130. An innovative 'sleeved' warhead concept allows the AGM-130 modular weapon to be the delivery vehicle for warheads significantly lighter than the 2,000 pound Mk-84 or BLU-109/B. The lightweight AGM-130 can accommodate new 1,000 pound class warheads developed for specialized attack scenarios. This paper describes the guidance and control developments for the lightweight AGM-130. One demonstration flight vehicle was designed, built, and launched. This paper discusses fundamental issues representative of any development program and how they were resolved with respect to autopilot processor limitations, financial constraints, limited development time, and operational and support issues.