How much does the B-NG weigh? One would have to know at least that bit before making this claim. The NSM weighs 399 kg. Nearly 150 kg lighter than the Harpoon.Philip wrote:Though when BMos- NG comes along,it may be possible as 29Ks reportedly will carry 3 and MKIs 5
Incorrect (the one Harpoon variant that could possibly have matched or exceeded the NSM's range would have been the Block II - ER which is not operational). I'm not aware of a helo launched Exocet variant that has a range that exceeds 200 km. Please provide specifics.Philip wrote:The Kongsberg option is going to have a lesser range when compared with the Harpoon, Exocet
The NSM has a stated range of >100 nautical miles or >185 km officially. It can do better depending upon the profile. According to Aviation Week its range exceeds 200 km. Of course when launched from the Air, the range will be better compared to ship launches.
NSM's sister missile which is going to be Air-Launched, and weighs just about the same, and available by 2023 is going to be capable of 500+ km when air-launched in the high-high-high profile. But that weapon is networked.The NSM currently does not have a data-link and as such any performance beyond 125 or so nautical miles is not going to be worth it. There are talks about adding the L-16 data-link ported over from the JSOW and JSM and as an upgrade to existing rounds. It wouldn't be surprising if high-high profiles with a networked NSM gets double of what it is capable of doing now .That said, trying to hit a ship more than 200 km away with a missile launched from a low-med altitude helicopter is more of an ISR problem than a missile problem. In an odd chance that there are no submarines to worry about..The MH-60 R is going to be tasked with going out XX km and looking for targets. You need very very capable and precise ISR capabilities to get a very long range shot from that distance (even the current maximum range of the NSM) without having a P-8 or a UAV out there providing long range sensing.
The MH-60R is the IN's choice right now. I haven't come across any plans of producing an even larger helicopter that can carry even heavier missiles like the projected Brahmos NG et al. If you have such a design for a naval helo being considered seriously by the IN, please provide it along with projected costs and schedule.Philip wrote: I can understand the missile being carried by a smaller helo on a corvette , but for a major surface combatant one would want a longer ranged missile which would enable the helo to attack the enemy vessel outside the range of its air defences and farther away from its mother ship ,giving it the advantage of launching its missiles first if within range.
A helicopter is going to be limited in terms of what it can carry and how far it can carry it. Doesn't matter whether that helicopter is taking off from a frigate, a destroyer or a cruiser. When you have large vessels you also have more room to carry larger missiles. You put a large and heavy missile inside vertical cells or a on topside launchers. Not on a helo.
The problem with helicopter launched long range anti-surface capability is getting ISR on the target. This isn't a fighter that has a large radar that can track surface targets from hundreds of kms away. Assuming that that ISR and targeting bit is taken care of, the MH-60R should have no problem launching NSM's from well outside the radar horizon of a surface combatant no matter what the size of that surface combatant is. In fact it can launch those from around 2000 meters altitude and still probably be outside the radar horizon of the vessel. Additionally, how many Pakistani and Chinese active seeker naval SAM's have ranges exceeding 200 km? against low flying targets with defensive suits?one would want a longer ranged missile which would enable the helo to attack the enemy vessel outside the range of its air defences
