How release altitude affect the range of subsonic cruise missile with high glide ratio?

[Ronny]

Release altitude have very significant impact on fly range of air launched weapons
- For example: JSOW released at high altitude can fly as far as 130 km while at low altitude, It can barely fly 22 km. That a different of 6 times. That because JSOW has no self propulsion system of itself and rely on a design with very high glide ratio of 12:1


- For rocket propulsion weapons such as AASM, at high altitude release, it can fly as far as 50 km while at low altitude, it can barely fly 15 km. That a different of only 3.3 times in range. That because AASM have short burn rocket propulsion system but very little glide capability


- For cruise missile with turbojet engine and small glide ratio (short small wing) such as JSM. In high-high-high mission profile, it can fly as far as 555 km. In low-low-low mission profile it can only fly 185 km. That a different of only 3 times in range. That because JSM have efficient propulsion system but very little glide capability


But how about cruise missile with efficient turbojet engine but also have effective glide ratio such as SPEAR, SLAM-ER ?. How does low altitude release affect missile range?. What would be the ratio between high altitude range/low altitude range?

 

[TomcatViP]

@Ronny . I think it´s an impossible question to answer as the question lacks of relevant specifics. Just like trying to guess estimate the glide ratio of Planes irrelevantly to their type. A sail plane will for example glide rather farther than an airliner (although, some A330, pilots though to break a record while some MAX´s absolutely did not want).

In other words, probably that would help if you limit the extend of your investigation to a certain category like glide, or glide powered or missile with a sustainer.

 

[Ronny]

@Ronny . I think it´s an impossible question to answer as the question lacks of relevant specifics. Just like trying to guess estimate the glide ratio of Planes irrelevantly to their type. A sail plane will for example glide rather farther than an airliner (although, some A330, pilots though to break a record while some MAX´s absolutely did not want).

In other words, probably that would help if you limit the extend of your investigation to a certain category like glide, or glide powered or missile with a sustainer.

I guess what you said make sense.
So let me be more specific, SPEAR max range is stated to be 140 km. What would be its range when launched from sea/ground level

 

[stealthflanker]

You can start from Breguet Range Equation. maybe.

 

[Ronny]

You can start from Breguet Range Equation. maybe.

Unfortunately, I don't know the weight of SPEAR or SLAM-ER with and without fuel

 

[Ronny]

Kinda interesting that the range of tomahawk in high altitude cruising is only twice that of low altitude cruising. It could be because Tomahawk is ground launched so it need to climb (which consume more fuel) if it want to cruise at high altitude?