Griffin Arms Variety of Platforms
BACKGROUND
The AGM-175 Griffin missile is a
lightweight, low-collateral-damage
weapon that rapidly integrates onto
an array of platforms. The A variant
is an aft-eject missile designed for
fixed-wing cargo aircraft. The B version is a forward-firing weapon suited for rotary- and fixed-wing platforms, as well as ground applications. The Marine Corps integrated
the Griffin A missile onto its KC-
130J Harvest Hawk platform and
deployed it to Afghanistan in 2010.
SCOPE
Raytheon has indefinite delivery/
indefinite quantity contracts with the
Army and Air Force and typically
produces 250 to 500 Griffins each
year across both contracts. In 2010, it
delivered almost 500 missiles on
contracts valued at roughly $51 million. The fiscal 2010 and 2011
defense budgets called for the delivery of more than 135 Griffin missiles
for the Harvest Hawk program.
RAYTHEON/BOB TURES
TIMELINE
Raytheon initially developed a
ground-launched, precision-guided
missile known as Archer with internal funding in 2004. After approaching the U.S. military with the Archer
concept, it was asked to develop the
missile into an air-launched system,
the Griffin. Production started in
2008 — with the first delivery in
April 2008 — and since then
Raytheon has built more than 1,200
Griffin missiles.
WHO’S WHO
Rod Krebs is Raytheon’s Griffin program director at Raytheon Missile
Systems, Tucson, Ariz.
Raytheon developed the Griffin missile with off-the-shelf components
from several proven weapon systems, including Javelin, Paveway and
the Joint Standoff Weapon. The concept was to build a highly precise, lightweight and easy-to-integrate system to address the warfighters’ need in the
escalating counterinsurgency experienced in theater in 2006.
Raytheon funded the development, conducted two flight tests and matured
the technology. … The Griffin missile’s size, light weight, dual-mode precision
and fuzing flexibility set it apart from anything available on the market today.
The missile is combat proven and provides the warfighter with an effective
tool to engage hostile targets while limiting the risk of collateral damage.
At the time of firing, the user can select to guide the weapon to the target using GPS [Global Positioning System] coordinates or laser designation. The user also has three fuzing options to engage the target — point
detonate, delayed fuze and height of burst. No other weapon currently
offers this degree of flexibility in guidance and fuzing options.
The Griffin missile’s form factor and easy integration make it an attractive solution for a wide variety of platforms, such as lightweight scout helicopters, light-attack reconnaissance platforms, unmanned aircraft systems, and an array of surface-launch and ground-launch vehicles.
Griffin gives the Harvest Hawk a powerful capability to deliver precision
effects to the battlefield. Raytheon has received very positive feedback from
our customer on Griffin, and we are pleased we are able to play a small
part in helping them accomplish their mission.
