Bomb busts bunker

, a joint venture between Raytheon's Missile Systems business and

Missiles and Fire Control, has demonstrated the ability of its Precision Attack Missile warhead to penetrate a fortified bunker.

The Precision Attack Missile is part of the Non Line-of-Sight-Launch System currently under development for the US Army's Future Combat System and the US Navy's Littoral Combat Ships.

The testing was performed at the Redstone Arsenal Technical Test Center, Huntsville, Alabama, against an earth and timber bunker target. The missile simulation test verified that the Precision Attack Missile warhead will detonate upon impact and perforate the bunker wall structure as required. This dynamic bunker test provides data to support follow-on army and navy warhead testing.

The multi-target warhead and fuse, developed by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, applies advanced technology to provide diverse mission, multi-target capabilities for the non line-of-sight-launch system. It possesses a shaped-charge capability, to defeat armoured targets, and a blast fragmentation capability for use against buildings, bunkers, small boats, lightly armoured vehicles and other soft targets.

To deliver the multipurpose warhead for precision-strike targeting, the Precision Attack Missile is equipped with a dual mode seeker (imaging infrared and semi-active laser), as well as GPS and inertial guidance.