Raytheon, a technology and innovation leader specializing in defence and homeland security, said it has completed a fit check of the joint standoff weapon in the internal carriage bay of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft.

"The capabilities of the JSF combined with JSOW C-1's ability to precisely engage moving ships at sea from standoff ranges would give the US and coalition warfighter a powerful capability," said Commander Samuel Hanaki, US Navy JSOW deputy program manager.

During the fit check, Raytheon technicians loaded a JSOW shape in the JSF's internal carriage bay and conducted a series of tests to prove the bay door could close properly without damaging the aircraft or the weapon.

"JSOW C-1 is the world's first net-enabled standoff weapon that can engage a moving maritime target," said Phyllis McEnroe, JSOW program director for Raytheon Missile Systems.

"With its more than 110 km range and tunnel defeat capability, JSOW C-1 will give members of the JSF a critical capability no other weapon can provide," he added.

JSOW is a family of low-cost, air-to-ground weapons that employs an integrated GPS- inertial navigation system and terminal imaging infrared seeker, guiding the weapon to the target, said a statemment from Raytheon.

The US Navy completed the first free-flight test of JSOW C-1 on July 26, , it added.-TradeArabia News Service