Scoring a 98% hit-to-kill ratio, AASM Hammer has become de facto the operational standard of the Rafale squadrons. The AASM Hammer missile has been deployed since 2008 by French air force and Navy Rafale (notably from the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier), contributing to these services’ successful missions in different theaters of operations.
AASM Hammer can combine several technics of final guidance: inertial and GPS, laser, infrared, transforming a free fall bomb in a precision cruise missile.
The AASM Hammer is a new generation precision-guided air-to-ground weapon, which is developed by Sagem – Safran – in France, the company acting as a prime contractor. The AASM Hammer system adds a propulsion kit and a choice of guidance kits to standard bombs. AASM Hammer can combine several technics of final guidance: inertial and GPS, laser, infrared, transforming a free fall bomb in a precision cruise missile.
Offering a range exceeding 60 kilometers, the AASM Hammer missile will give an air force a significant operational advantage, because of its ability to conduct all-weather, day &night precision ground strikes against fixed or moving targets, while also reducing collateral damages. Additionally, thanks to its high grade navigation unit, AASM Hammer has a unique capacity to operate in an incoming operational context : GNSS Denied environment.Furthermore, its booster gives the firing access at very low altitude, what gliding weapons cannot provide.
Sagem has developed and produced AASM Hammer in three different versions offering a high degree of flexibility while sharing the same pin-point accuracy:
- SBU-38 Hammer: it is characterized by an hybrid inertial / GPS guidance mode. Once the target coordinates have been entered in the weapon, the inertial guidance system enables it to hit the target without requiring a GPS signal, if it is unavailable.
The AASM Hammer enables a single Rafale, fitted with two triple underwing hard-points, to engage, in all weather conditions, day or night, up to six different targets simultaneously, a unique operational capability in the World.
- SBU-64 Hammer adds to GPS / inertial sensors, an infrared imager for terminal guidance. This imager allows the weapon to recalculate its trajectory during the last few seconds prior to impact, using image recognition algorithms. This allows the AASM to hit its target with the highest possible accuracy, even if targetcoordinates are incorrect, or the GPS signal is unavailable.
- SBU-54 Hammer includes a terminal laser function, in addition to inertial and GPS guidance suite. This version can engage agile, moving land or naval targets, illuminated by a ground or airborne laser designator. This capability to strike in a stand-off mode a mobile target is a real first in air power history. It has been deployed in operations by Rafale units from spring 2013.
The AASM Hammer enables a single Rafale, fitted with two triple underwing hard-points, to engage, in all weather conditions, day or night, up to six different targets simultaneously, a unique operational capability in the World. Furthermore, the different guidance modes can be mixed to increase operational flexibility. AASM Hammer isa true “fire & forget” weapon, giving an extreme precision to hit the target, its capabilities also include continuous control of flight parameters, among them speed and angle of attack at impact point, to drastically enhance the operational effectiveness of the weapon.Its unique ability to combine long range firing and vertical arrival allows it to compete with the biggest penetrators bomb while using a smaller one, which is cost effective considering the stockpile.
In spring 2015, Sagem (Safran) signed a major contract with the arms authority of the Egyptian Ministry of Defense for AASM Hammer air-to-ground missiles to be deployed by the Egyptian air force, a contract that followed the acquisition by Egypt of 24 Rafale omnirole fighters from Dassault Aviation.
AASM Hammer is on display on the Sagem stand of DEFEXPO, French Pavilion (Hall 5).
