Raytheon Griffin

The Griffin missile was developed by Raytheon as a private venture in the 2007/2008 time frame. It is a small tube-launched laser-guided air-to-surface weapon primarily designed as armament for UAVs. An MQ-1 Predator can carry three Griffin missiles in place of a single AGM-114 Hellfire, which is currently that UAV's standard armament. The missile's 5.9 kg (13 lb) multi-effect warhead is also supposed to inflict less collateral damage than the bigger Hellfire. To reduce development time and cost for Griffin, components from other Raytheon products were used, including the FGM-148 Javelin and AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles. The missile is of modular design, and according to Raytheon, other seekers or warheads can be fitted. There is also a ground-launched variant, which is slightly shorter and lighter than the basic air-launched missile.

Image: U.S. Army

Griffin

In June 2008, it was reported that Griffin has been deployed on MQ-1 Predator UAVs by an "undisclosed customer". Since then, contracts to produce Griffin missiles for the U.S. Army and the U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) have been confirmed. There appear to be two different variants designated Griffin A & B, but no further information about the differences is available.

Specifications

Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!

Data for Griffin:

Main Sources

[1] Graham Warwick: "Small Raytheon Missile Deployed On Predator", Aviation Week, 13 June 2008
[2] COL Michael Cavalier: "Joint Attack Munition Systems Overview", presentation at Army Aviation Association of America 2009 Annual Convention

Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 4