POINT MUGU SEA TEST RANGE, Calif., 24 Aug. 2012. The U.S. Navy has begun integrated testing (IT) of Raytheon Co.'s (NYSE: RTN) joint standoff weapon (JSOW) C-1. During its first flight in IT, the JSOW C-1 was retargeted to strike a large moving surface target.

This flight test demonstrated that JSOW C-1 can receive third party target updates in-flight, retarget after release, and strike a precise point on a moving ship using the weapon's autonomous terminal seeker. The program remains on track for reaching initial operational capability in 2013.

The test presented two maneuvering ships (large and small) as potential targets. Before weapon release, a Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet targeted the smaller ship, and then handed off weapon control to a second Super Hornet also targeting the smaller ship. After release from the first Super Hornet, the JSOW C-1 was guided by the second Super Hornet toward the smaller maneuvering ship target located 90 kilometers from launch point.

While in flight, the JSOW was retargeted by the second Super Hornet to the larger maneuvering ship target. The JSOW provided weapon in-flight track and bomb hit indication status messages back to the controlling Super Hornet while successfully engaging the larger target ship. The test validated JSOW C-1's ability to be controlled, updated and retargeted as needed to eliminate its intended target.

The JSOW is a family of air-to-ground weapons that employ an integrated GPS- inertial navigation system and terminal imaging infrared seeker. The JSOW C-1 adds the two-way strike common weapon datalink to the combat-weapon, enabling moving maritime target capability. The JSOW C-1 has a range of approximately 62 miles and began free-flight testing in 2011. A powered version is currently under development with a range goal of 287 miles.