LRASM and Sea Venom/ANL: Anti-ship Missiles Make Progress

Two anti-ship missile programs have achieved significant progress as LRASM enters service and Sea Venom/ANL moves into qualification testing

A Boeing B-1B releases an LRASM during early trials of the AGM-158C anti-ship missile. The B-2 is the first type to become operational with the weapon. (photo: Lockheed Martin)

By David Donald • Contributor - UK

December 19, 2018

In recent days both Lockheed Martin and MBDA announced significant developments with two key anti-ship missile programs. The U.S. manufacturer’s AGM-158C LRASM (long-range anti-ship missile) has entered service with the U.S. Air Force, while the Anglo-French missile house has revealed that, with another successful firing of its Sea Venom/ANL (Anti-Navire Léger, "light anti-ship"), the program has moved from the development to the qualification phase.

Lockheed Martin’s LRASM is an adaptation of the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (joint air-to-surface stand-off missile-extended range), a stealthy, precision-guided land attack missile. Developed to meet the U.S. Navy’s offensive anti-surface warfare (ASuW) Increment I requirement, the AGM-158C has been designed to seek out specific naval targets within groups of vessels with reduced reliance on prior intelligence and network links and to operate in areas of reduced or denied GPS coverage.

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