Can anyone tell me exactly what was unique about this test firing?.
Source
AMRAAM TEST
There have been plenty of possible suggestions as to why its Unique.
Yesterday we saw the success of a unique AMRAAM firing trial at Moron Air base in Southern Spain. The trial was the result of close cooperation between the Spanish and British Flight Test Centres of EADS CASA and BAE Systems, under guidance of Eurofighter GmbH, using Eurofighter Typhoons IPA4 and IPA5 - Spanish and British aircraft respectively.
The objective of the testing was to fire the AMRAAM missile from a Eurofighter Typhoon whilst its radar was in passive mode and thus “invisible” for Electronic Support Measures (ESM) Systems. The necessary target data for the missile was acquired by the radar of a second Eurofighter Typhoon and transmitted using the Multi Functional Information Distribution System (MIDS). Both aircraft were separated by quite a distance in range.
This scenario is especially relevant for Eurofighter Typhoon’s Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air combat capability against high level threats, including Low Observable aircraft.
Spain’s IPA4 led the trial as the “firer”, while IPA5 as the “cooperator” illuminated the target with its radar active. This trial is the first known testing of its kind and is the first missile firing that Spain has participated in as part of the Eurofighter Typhoon programme, building on their previous flight test work which includes Meteor environmental testing and air-to-ground weapon trials.
The complex test was meticulously planned over several months and involved a large team of experts from across all partner nations as well as the US, who provided support for the exercise. The trial took place at a closed range in Southern Spain using a Mirach drone.
There was a Rafale test that did this sort of thing with a Mica, so was it unique because it was with an AMRAAM,, because the aircraft were a large distance apart, from different airforces, or what?
And I thought that only the AMRAAM firing aircraft could give mid course updates?.
Cheers