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The Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is a joint American and German all-weather, ship self-defence system designed to combat anti-ship missiles. It provides a lightweight, quick reaction, high firepower and low cost ship-defence capability.
The RAM Block 0 missile uses a wide field of view, radio frequency midcourse and a narrow field of view, infrared terminal guidance. Immediately after launch the RF seeker detects the target, guides the missile and points the IR seeker in the target' s direction, initiating the RF midcourse guidance. With the use of accurate IR terminal guidance, provided by the highly precise IR seeker and proportional navigation, the missile achieves a direct hit or an approach in the direct vicinity of the target. The wide RF field of view provides RAM with a 'shoot around the corner' capability for targets in the shadow of the ship's superstructure. Since RAM uses a passive guidance mode, it does not need any additional shipboard support after launch.
The ship sensors provide target data via the External Designation System (EDS) to the RAM GMWS. After target designation from the EDS, the launcher is directed to the firing position and the missiles are prepared and fired against the incoming targets with the priority provided by the EDS. Since its initial operational capability in 1993, RAM Block 0 has had successful intercepts in 113 of 117 production proofing and ship qualification test flights in both the United States and German Navies. The proliferation of passive ASCMs lead to the necessity to upgrade the RAM system.
The RAM Block I Infrared Mode Upgrade (IRMU) gives RAM the capability to engage RF-passive ASCMs by means of a jointly developed IR seeker and IR image acquisition technique. Block I development testing was successfully initiated aboard the USS Gunston Hall with two successful firings each of Block I and Block 0 missiles. Block I development testing continued aboard the unmanned, remotely controlled Self-Defence Test Ship (SDTS). The RAM Block I missile successfully intercepted an Exocet MM38, supersonic VANDAL and other Navy targets.
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Abbreviations
Warfare
