Information AboutAlarm |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT ALARM | |
| anti-radiation missiles of the united kingdom | |
| gulf war guided missiles | |
| kosovo war guided missiles | |
| iraq war guided missiles | |
| modern weapons | |
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ALARM ('''Air Launched Anti-Radiation Missile''') is a British Anti-radiation Missile designed primarily to destroy enemy radars for the purpose of Suppression Of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD). It is used by the RAF and the Royal Saudi Air Force .1 HISTORY The Ministry Of Defence received bids for a new anti-radiation missile in late 1982; British Aerospace Dynamics offered ALARM while Texas Instruments teamed with Lucas Aerospace offered its HARM missile.2 Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine announced the selection of ALARM on 29 July 1983 . The initial order was 750 missiles for the RAF.3 The selection process was controversial; the battle between the contractors was bitter, the Ministry of Defence favoured ALARM to retain UK industrial capabilities while the Treasury favoured the cheaper and proven HARM.4 In early 1986 BAe recognised that Royal Ordnance was having difficuties delivering the missile's motor, named Nuthatch, and began to consider alternatives. Royal Ordnance's solution to the required burn-loiter-burn characteristic of the engine was complex.5 In July 1987 BAe, by then the owner of Royal Ordnance, replaced the Nuthatch motor with a lower risk motor designed by Bayern-Chemie .6 BAe's GB£ 200 million contract for the missile was renogiated with the price increased to GB£400 million and delivery pushed back from 1988 to 1990.7 FEATURES ALARM is a fire-and-forget system, with an added loiter capability. In loiter mode, ALARM will, when launched, climb to an altitude of 13 km. If the target radar shuts down, the missile will deploy a parachute and descend slowly until the radar lights up. The missile will then fire a secondary motor to attack the target. COMBAT PERFORMANCE ALARM has been used in the following conflicts:
It has been reported that in the Kosovo War an RAF Tornado was able to take out a transmitter with one ALARM, after many unsuccessful attempts by Americans and Germans with HARM missiles, due to the ALARM's loiter capability. CHARACTERISTICS
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