Characteristics
Design characteristics allow for low cost by modularity and aiming to minimise electromechanical complexity by implementing most functionality in software. It comes in its own launch canisters, or can be quad-packed into the SYLVER and Mark 41 Vertical Launch System silos found on many warships. Additionally, it can be fired from aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon. The land and naval versions have folding tailfins and both use a "soft vertical launch" system, whereby the missile is ejected from a tube by a piston. A short booster uses squib thrusters to point the missile at the target before the main motor fires. The lack of toxic fumes on launch makes launches safer for users, avoids corrosion of the launch platform and the lack of exhaust vents allows the launch cells to be much more compact. In flight, the missile can receive mid-course guidance via a datalink before the active homing radar seeker takes over for the final approach to target. This does away with the need for separate tracking radars, and allows targets to be hit that are not in line-of-sight. The command and control software reuses over 75% of that developed for the Sea Viper system.
CAMM has a longer range (1-25+ km) compared to the 1-10 km for Seawolf and other systems it will replace, it is 99 kilograms (220 lb) in weight, 3.2 metres (10 ft) in length, 166 millimetres (6.5 in) diameter and reaches generous supersonic speeds of mach 3 (or 3 times the speed of sound). CAMM is designed to respond to the sophisticated missile attacks of the future and has the capability to defend against saturation attacks of supersonic aircraft and missiles. It does this is via multiple channels of fire and providing a 360 degree coverage.
Read more about this topic: Common Anti-Air Modular Missile