View source for Sea Lance (missile)

[[Image:F-18C_with_SLAM-ER_missile_and_AWW-13_pods_in_flight.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A [[North Point Sea Command]] {{wp|F-18|Wentworth ''Hornet''}} carrying the Sea Lance SLAM-ER variant during a test flight over the Bellona Reefs Missile Test Range in North Point]]

The '''Sea Lance''' is an all-weather, {{wp|over-the-horizon}}, {{wp|anti-ship missile}} system, developed and manufactured by [[Rotara (company)|Rotara]] in [[North Point]]. The missile uses {{wp|active radar homing}}, and a low-level, {{wp|sea-skimming}} cruise trajectory to improve survivability and lethality.  The Sea Lance is the primary anti-ship missile used by the [[military of North Point]].  The missile can be launched from a variety of platforms, which include:

* Fixed-wing aircraft (the '''AGM-94''', without the {{wp|solid-fuel rocket}} {{wp|booster (rocketry)|booster}})
* Surface ships (the '''RGM-94''', fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster that detaches when expended, allowing the missile's main {{wp|turbojet}} to maintain flight)
* Submarines (the '''UGM-94''', fitted with a solid-fuel rocket booster and encapsulated in a container to enable submerged launch through a torpedo tube);
* Coastal defense batteries, from which it would be fired with a solid-fuel rocket booster.

An improved variant, known as the '''AGM-94K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response)''', has been developed and is entering service with the [[North Point Flying Corps]] and [[North Point Sea Command]]. It is capable of attacking land and sea targets at medium-to-long ranges (155 nautical miles/250 km maximum).  The SLAM-ER relies on the [[Globalstar System]] and {{wp|infrared imaging}} for its navigation and control, and it can strike both moving and stationary targets.

== Design ==

A lot of smart people put forth competing designs for the best way to attach a large explosive to a rocket and have it find and blow up an enemy ship.

== Operational history ==

The Sea Lance was first installed aboard the [[Soldier class strike craft|strike craft]] NPS ''Eversole'' as the test ship in 1978.  Both of the missiles fitted to the ''Eversole'' were lost when [[Eversole Incident|the ship mysteriously disappeared later that year]].  By 1980, the design had been proven on a variety of other ships, none of which disappeared under mysterious circumstances, putting to rest the surprisingly widely-held theory that the firing of a Sea Lance's then-advanced turbojet engine would cause a rip in space time to appear and suck the firing ship into another dimension.  By 1982 the ship-launched variant was fitted to many of the [[North Point Sea Command]]'s surface vessels.  Air- and submarine-launched variants appeared shortly thereafter, with the missile becoming a key part of North Point's defense from seaborne incursion.

The effectiveness of the design was proven during the [[Diamond Atoll Confrontation]], where several dozen were fired by the North Point Security Forces against [[Valmiero|Valmiran]] naval units. Two Valmiran Navy destroyers and one merchant vessel were sunk by missile hits.

North Point forces deployed in [[Questers]] during the [[Questarian Rebellion]] made extensive use of both the standard Sea Lance as well as the SLAM-ER variant.  In-country stocks of the AGM-94D model were so depleted during the maritime strike sorties of [[Operation Hard Tack]] that North Point began using existing stocks of Questarian {{wp|Harpoon (missile)|Harpoon}} missiles.  Several squadrons of [[Wentworth Shrike|Shrike]] and {{wp|Mitsubishi F2A|F2}} strike aircraft had their targeting systems updated to fire the Harpoon and were never switched back, even with the close of hostilities in late 2013. 

The North Point Security Forces are in the process of retiring all non-SLAM-ER Sea Lance missiles.

== Operators ==

* {{flag|North Point}}
** [[North Point Sea Command]]
*** ''Soldier''-class strike craft
*** ''Challenger''-class corvette
*** ''Daring''-class frigate
*** [[Ardent class destroyer|''Ardent''-class destroyer]]
*** ''Association''-class destroyer
*** ''Endeavour''-class large cruiser
*** ''Vanguard''-class submarine
*** ''Affirmation''-class submarine
*** {{wp|F-18|Wentworth ''Hornet''}}
*** {{wp|P-3 Orion|MGI ''Polaris''}}
*** {{wp|ShinMaywa US-2|Mishima US-2}}
** [[North Point Flying Corps]]
*** {{wp|Mitsubishi F2A|MacMillan F-2}}
*** [[Wentworth Shrike|Wentworth ''Shrike'']]
* {{flag|Chevrokia}}
** [[Commonwealth Navy (Chevrokia)|Commonwealth Navy]]
*** [[Herjár class frigate|''Herjár''-class frigate]]
*** [[Fálk class corvette|''Fálk''-class corvette]]
*** [[Æðrulaus class patrol boat|''Æðrulaus''-class patrol boat]]
*** [[Brynhildur class submarine|''Brynhildur''-class submarine]]
*** [[OF.79 Alsviður|OF.79/05 ''Alsviður'']]
*** [[Wentworth Shrike|SpF.75/90 ''Tyrningur'']]
*** [[Joint Naval Support Aircraft|VF.85/07 ''Huginn'']]

==General characteristics==

* '''Primary function:''' Air-, surface-, or submarine-launched anti-surface (anti-ship) missile
* '''Contractor:''' The Rotara Company
* '''Power plant:''' {{wp|Teledyne CAE J402|Rotodyne CAE J402}} {{wp|turbojet}}, with a solid-fuel rocket booster for surface and submarine launches
* '''Length:'''
** '''Air-launched:''' {{convert|4.2|m|ft}}
** '''Surface and submarine-launched:''' {{convert|5.0|m|ft}}
* '''Weight:'''
** '''Air-launched:''' {{convert|670|kg|lb}}
** '''Submarine or ship launched from box or canister launcher:''' {{convert|781|kg|lb}}
* '''Diameter:''' {{convert|340|mm|in}}
* '''Wing span:''' {{convert|920|mm|in}}
* '''Maximum altitude:''' {{convert|910|m|ft}} with booster fins and wings
* '''Range:''' Over-the-horizon (approx 50 nautical miles)
** AGM-94D (Block 1D): 220km (120mi)
** RGM/UGM-94D (Block 1D): 150km (75mi)
* '''Speed:''' High subsonic, around 850km/h (460 knots, 240m/s, or 530mph)
* '''Guidance:''' Sea-skimming cruise monitored by radar altimeter, active radar terminal homing
* '''Warhead:''' {{convert|225|kg|lb}}, penetration high-explosive blast
* '''Unit cost:''' $1,457,201
* '''Date deployed:'''
** Ship-launched (RGM-94A): 1978
** Air-launched (AGM-94A): 1979
** Submarine-launched (UGM-94A): 1981

[[Category:Missiles]]
[[Category:Military equipment of North Point]]