Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
October 14, 2008
IWG Report 2007
Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
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PGM-500
| Country: | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Class: | ALCM |
| Target: | Land |
| Length: | 3.38 m |
| Diameter: | 0.36 m |
| Wingspan: | 1.08 m |
| Launch Weight: | 404.00 kg |
| Payload: | 227 kg HE, submunitions |
| Propulsion: | Solid |
| Range: | 50.00 km |
| Guidance: | INS, semi-active laser |
| Status: | Operational |
| In Service: | 1992-Present |
| Exported: | UAE |
Details
The PGM-500 is a short-range, air-launched, solid propellant, single warhead, air-to-surface cruise missile developed and manufactured by the United Kingdom. It was designed to destroy ground targets while reducing collateral damage as much as possible, and to allow the attacking aircraft to remain outside the reach of the enemy’s air defenses.
Development of the Precision-Guided Munitions (PGM) family of missiles is believed to have started in 1984. The program has been known by several names, including Project Alpha, GMX, Felix, Pegasus, and Little Brother, and Hakim in the United Arab Emirates. It was first known as PGM-1 to 4 in the U.K., and was later renamed PGM-500 and PGM-2000. The PGM-500 designator refers to all missiles with a 500 pound (227 kg) warhead, and the PGM-2000 designator to the 2,000 pound (910 kg) warhead.
The PGM-500 has a constant diameter cylindrical body and four large clipped triangular wings with ailerons in the rear for directional control. The missile has a similar configuration to the AGM-142 Popeye missile, in that the wing span in the horizontal plane is greater than in the vertical. It is 3.38 m in length, has a body diameter of 0.36 m, a horizontal wing span of 1.08 m, a vertical wing span of 0.55 m, and has a launch weight of 404 kg. It has a maximum range of 15 km when launched from low level, and around 50 km when launched from medium level.
Reports indicate that three alternative seekers have been developed for the PGM-500/-2000 missiles. The PGM-500/1 has a semi-active laser seeker, the PGM-500/2 a television imaging seeker, and the PGM-500/3 an imaging infra-red (IIR) seeker. The semi-active laser and TV seeker versions are believed to have started production in 1990, and the IIR seeker version in 1993. A further version reported to be in development with a dual mode active and passive radar seeker may be retrofitted to earlier missiles.
The PGM-500/-2000 missiles were first displayed in 1994. The Hakim PGM-500/-2000 is believed to have entered service with the UAE in 1992 for use on Mirage 2000 aircraft. The PGM-500/3 and PGM-2000/3 with imaging infrared seekers are believed to have started production in 1993 and to have entered service in 1995. The missiles are currently deployed on Mirage 2000, Tornado, Jaguar, Harrier, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, and F-4 Phantom aircraft, and have also been fit-checked on A-4 Skyhawk, Hawk, and F-5 Freedom Fighter aircraft.(1)
Footnotes
