ACM-9 Asmoday

ACM-9 Asmoday
Place of origin	Arthurista
Service history
In service	2005-present
Production history
Manufacturer	Arthuristan Dynamics
Specifications
Weight	1,400kg
Length	5.1m
Diameter	1.08m
Warhead	450kg unitary shaped charge warhead (land attack), 240kg unitary shaped charge warhead (anti-ship), 0.5-150kt Red Hammer warhead
Engine	Turbojet
Wingspan	2.064m
Operational range	600km+
Speed	Mach 0.80-0.95
Guidance system	Mid-course: Inertial/SATNAV, jam-resistant rapid frequency-hopping datalink Terminal: IIR, active radar (anti-ship only, backup sensor)
Launch platform	Aircraft, submarines, ships, trucks

The ACM-9 Asmoday is a stealthy, transonic cruise missile in Arthuristan service, specifically designed for tactical aircrafts unable to carry heavier, long range ordnance favoured by Arthuristan commanders. It was developed from the ACM-1 Cerberus. A versatile weapon, it is capable of carrying out a wide variety of mission profiles including land attack, anti-ship and anti-radiation depending on its guidance package. The Asmoday entered serial production in the early-2000s. The extended range "Mk 2" version began serial production in 2012.

Guidance and ECM

The ACM-9 is guided towards the target using its inertial navigation system, datalink for mid-course correction and SATNAV, connection to which is ensured using a jam-resistant, frequency-hopping datalink.

The Asmoday was designed from the outset as networked platforms, capable of operating in swarms of up to 24, with datalinks allowing them to share information with each other, the launch platform or other ships or aircraft in the area. While in low-altitude cruise, a missile per swarm can 'pop up' periodically to a higher altitude to scan for targets, sharing the information with the rest of the swarm.

Anti-ship variant

The anti-ship variant is distinguished by its multi-mode sensor. Its primary sensor is an imaging infra-red which is able to distinguish the missile's target with an on-board target database. New generation multi-spectrum passive defence systems, which throw up an IR-smokescreen in an attempt to mask the ship, are defeated using a simple target-location memory program which, combined with the low warning time available to the defending vessels, ought to ensure that a hit would still be scored. It also has active and passive radar modes, which allows it to autonomously search for targets if no ISR platform is available to guide it. If such a platform is available, the missile is capable of performing a completely 'silent' approach flight. In any case, active radar will only be used until the missile is close enough for the IIR sensor to acquire the target and, as such, the terminal phase of the flight profile will remain 'radar silent'. If fired in a salvo, only one missile in the swarm needs to switch on its radar in order to look for targets. The missile is capable of performing random 'jinking' maneouvres in the terminal phase to evade defensive fire.

The anti-ship variant carries a reduced warhead of 240kg to compensate for fuel capacity lost by being fitted with a more sophisticated sensors package. Aside from the standard air-launched model, a ship-borne variant is also available. It is equipped with a solid-rocket booster and is launched from a standard-sized strike-length vertical-launch cell.