Aunque quizas deberia de ir en noticias de aviacion, me parece interesante ponerlo aca
Harpoon II Missiles for India’s Jaguars: Armed Forces Int. News
Harpoon II Missiles for India’s Jaguars: Armed Forces Int. News
Harpoon II Missiles for India's Jaguar Jets
Posted by Armed Forces International's Defence Correspondent on 09/09/2010 - 12:50:00
24 US-built Harpoon II anti-ship missiles are set to be supplied to India for use by its Jaguar strike aircraft, according to news reports released on 8 September 2010.
The value of the Indian Harpoon II contract is $170m and, once completed, it will boost the Indian Air Force Jaguars’ maritime capabilities beyond those offered by the Sea Eagle missiles they presently carry.
The Jaguar is an Anglo-French ground attack jet design that dates back to the 1960s.
Operated by both the RAF and the French Air Force in large numbers, both services have since retired their fleets, but the Indian Air Force still has several Jaguar squadrons.
Indian Harpoon Missile Contract
Indian Air Force Jaguar deliveries began in 1981 - when initial examples were supplied to No.14 Squadron – and officials expect to get another 10 years use out of them: the Indian Harpoon missile contract being one component of a wider type update programme.
The original Harpoon anti-ship missile was developed by McDonnell-Douglas and entered service in the late 1970s. Since then, more than 7,000 have been produced. The Harpoon Block II is an upgraded version produced by Boeing (MDD and Boeing merged in 1997) that offers improved accuracy, better range and is better able to resist electronic countermeasures.
Harpoon Block II Missile
Weighing 546 kilograms, the Harpoon II missile features a 222 kilogram warhead and can strike targets over 200 kilometres away. Flying at low-level, it travels at approximately 860kmh and is directed through a mixed GPS/radar application. It can be fired from aircraft, combat ships and submarines alike.
This is the latest in a whole string of recent Indian/US military contracts which have included purchases of C-130J Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft and Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime reconnaissance platforms.
Alongside these, India remains on the verge of selecting a new generation multirole combat aircraft from six competing designs, of which two – the Lockheed Martin F-16 and the Boeing F/A18-E/F Super Hornet – are US products.
Indian Air Force Jaguar image copyright of the Department of Defence