CVR-7 ROCKET SYSTEM
 

This is an air-to-air and air-to-surface rocket system. Each rocket pod, weighing 240 kg carries 19 rockets. The HE warhead is designed for use against light armour, vehicles, small vessels and helicopters. Deployed on the Harrier.

 

FREEFALL BOMBS

Conventional 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs are still in service as are Mark 1 and Mark 2 bombs weighing 570 lb (260 kg). By adding the Hunting 118 retarding tail the weight of the latter is increased to 670 lb (304 kg).

PAVEWAY II

Paveway II is the standard 1,000 lb (454 kg) general purpose bomb for use against moderately well-protected targets.
 

Paveway II can be fitted with a laser-guidance kit and the bomb can be used in the free-fall or retarded mode.

 

Used on the Tornado GR4, Harrier and Eurofighter Typhoon.

 

PAVEWAY II Specifications
Length	3.7m
Weight	520kg
Guidance	Laser

Photo Copyright Lockheed Martin


 

PAVEWAY III AND TIALD (THERMAL IMAGING AND LASER DESIGNATION) POD

Paveway III is a 2,000 lb (908 kg) laser-guided bomb (LGB) for use against well-protected targets. The bomb is guided to its target by a TIALD (Thermal Imaging and Laser Designation) pod that is carried on the aircraft or by a ground-based observer using a target designator.

The weapon can be carried on the Tornado GR4, Harrier, and Typhoon.

Unlike the Paveway II, this weapon uses proportional guidance - the control canards on the front of the bomb move only the exact amount necessary to guide the weapon. This conserves energy, improves accuracy capability and increases the range of the weapon, thus allowing delivery aircraft to engage their targets with greater stand-off. When the weapon is released, it flies a pre-programmed autopilot profile into the target area, using the energy given to it by the releasing aircraft.

These autopilot profiles are designated to provide the best attack conditions for different types of target and also to use to maximum effectiveness the increased stand-off capability of the weapon.

ENHANCED PAVEWAY

Shortcomings in target acquisition during the 1999 Kosovo conflict resulted in a requirement for the RAF to obtain a weapon to satisfy all-weather 24-hour tasking. The Enhanced Paveway (EPW) family of weapons meets this requirement, and the EPWII entered service in 2001 and the larger EPWIII entered service in late 2002.

Both EPWII and EPWIII are based on their laser-guided bomb variants, the Paveway II and Paveway III respectively, and utilise the same warheads and fin sections. However, the EPW weapons have a modified guidance section and wiring to accommodate a Global Positioning System Aided Inertial Navigation System (GAINS). EPW (also known as Paveway IV) is carried by the Tornado GR4.

In Iraq, during Operation Telic in early 2003 the RAF used 360 x Enhanced Paveway PGMs, and 255 Paveway II/III LGBs. Enhanced Paveway was described by the RAF officers as “the weapon of choice”.

In November 2007 the Typhoon dropped its first in-service bomb, the Paveway II and was declared operational in the ground attack role.

ENHANCED PAVEWAY Specifications
Length (EPW2)	3.7m
Length (EPW3)	4.4m
Weight (EPW2)	545kg
Weight (EPW3)	1,130kg
Guidance	GPS

PAVEWAY IV

 

In late 2003 the UK MoD selected the Paveway IV PGM in preference to the Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). Paveway IV has the ability to engage targets in all types of weather with laser guidance for high terminal accuracy.

The Paveway IV kit, is equipped with a GPS/INS (Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System) and a SAL (Semi-Active Laser) terminal seeker. The total value of the contract is believed to be in the region of £100 million.

Paveway IV is a joint development by the UK-based Raytheon Systems Ltd (RSL) and Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS) in the US.

Paveway IV kits, fitted to 227 kg (500 lb) bombs, entered service in 2008. During Operation Telic (Libya 2011) the UK’s precision guided bombing capability was provided by 240 x Enhanced Paveway II and 900 x Paveway IV.

Photo Copyright Raytheon Systems

MAVERICK

The Maverick missile, which is used by the Harrier GR7 as an anti-armour weapon, entered RAF service in early 2001 and is one of the latest additions to the RAF inventory.

The missile has a number of seeker heads available for use in a variety of operational scenarios. The RAF bought the Maverick with an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker head, which allows the missile to be employed both by day and by night and in poor atmospheric conditions.

The Maverick missile will complement the Brimstone missile that is entering RAF service with a millimetric wave all-weather seeker head. The RAF version of the Maverick is a fire-and-forget weapon, which sends a picture from the IIR seeker head to the Multi-Purpose Colour Display (MPCD) in the cockpit. The pilot identifies the target, locks the missile onto it and fires the missile once the target is in range. The Maverick will then home onto the target while the delivery aircraft carries out escape manoeuvres, thus minimising its exposure to enemy air defence systems.