The powered version of the GBU-15, the AGM-130, was also used during Operation 'Allied Force'. Initially used without success in Iraq during ONW that same year, the AGM-130 successfully destroyed two MiG-29s on the ground. The AGM-130 uses a modified GBU-15 as the basis for and extended range PGM. A rocket motor is mounted to the underside of the GBU-15 to provide the bomb with a glide-boost-glide operating profile. The motor is not intended to accelerate the bomb, but simply to maintain a desired minimum velocity - once the motor expires it is jettisoned automatically.

AGM-130-9/-10/-11/-12 variants feature a GPS mid-course guidance system which allows the bomb to navigate itself towards the target area; the latter two versions have an additional antenna installed in the bomb to help increase IDLP reception coverage; a feature known as Switchable Data Link. EO and IR versions of the AGM-130 use the WGU-40/B Television Guidance Section and WGU-42/B Improved Modular Infra Red Sensor seeker heads respectively: IMIRS bombs mated to the BLU-109 warhead are designated AGM-130C-10 or AGM-130C-12SDL; TVGS and BLU-109 bombs were designated AGM-130C-9 or AGM-130C-11SDL. With the Mk-84 bomb body they become AGM-130 with the 'dash' designations applied as detailed above. Both seekers have a 4.2° vertical x 5.6° horizontal FOV, and gimbal limits of +30° to -54° pitch and +-30° yaw.

The F-15E can carry up to two AGM-130s on weapons stations STA-2 and STA-8. If the aircraft is loaded with the weapon, an AN/AXQ-14 Data Link Pod or a ZSW-1 Improved Data Link Pod is attached to the centreline pylon (station STA-5) to allow communication between bomb and aircraft. The sheer size of the AGM-130 prevents the carriage of the AIM-120 AMRAAM on the rail launchers of the same under-wing pylon, however, the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile can still be carried.

Modes of Operation

The weapon functions in a very similar manner to the EGBU-15, although the AGM-130 can be programmed with its own transit altitude which allows low altitude target ingress as low as 200 feet or as high as 2,000 feet (the F-15E's Central Computer automatically calculates the Dynamic Launch Zone based on the user selection and a missile mounted radar altimeter provided elevation data), and the IMIRS sensor makes use of a Nitrogen cooled Focal Plane Array which features two additional tracking modes (Black and White).

In instances when the weapon is deployed in Indirect mode, the aircrew can subsequently designate a target in the jet via the TGT FLIR or HRM Radar Mode; this target data is transmitted to the AGM-130 which will compute the target location relative to its own. A small triangle is subsequently superimposed over the AGM-130 video in the cockpit to prove the WSO with steering cues to help him guide the weapon to the target. Narrow and Wide FOV's are provided for enhanced target acquisition purposes.

AGM-130 launches usually work with two jets monitoring video imagery beamed back via the AN/AXQ-14 DLP or ZSW-1 IDLP. In the event that the primary jet is unable to locate the target in a timely manner, the secondary jet is used as fall back. The primary would typically transmit, 'Goalkeeper, Goalkeeper', as a cue for the secondary crew to take control of the missile. Video imagery of from the AGM-130 during Operation 'Allied Force' shows the launch aircraft up to fifty miles from the target at time of weapon impact. This range does not accurately reflect the true stand-off range offered by the missile as the launch aircraft would invariably turn 180° following the launch (in order to remain distant from the threats invariably surrounding the target). Despite this, it gives a clear indication as to the capabilities of the weapon and DLP; the latter of which features a rear-facing, mechanically steered Phase Scanned Array antenna to allow continued communication with the bomb as the two fly in opposite directions.

Components

Each AGM-130 consists of six components: guidance section, warhead adapter section(s), control section, airfoil group, weapon data link unit, and rocket motor. The forward guidance section contains the EO or IR guidance system. An external electrical conduit carries electrical signals from the guidance section to the control section aft of the warhead. The conduit also connects the forward and aft part of the warhead adapter section and attaches the guidance section and the control section to the warhead. An umbilical receptacle passes control and guidance data between the fire control system of the aircraft and the weapon prior to release.

The weapon's control section is located aft of the warhead and contains an internal autopilot which controls the movement of the control surfaces of the airfoil group by collecting signals from the guidance system and data link system. The airfoil group consists of four rectangular shaped wings with trailing edge flap control surfaces. The wings have an X-like arrangement and line up with four strakes on the forward warhead adapter section, which add stability during flight.

Technical Data

Sources

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