The US Army has selected BAE Systems as prime contractor for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) programme. The company received a $96.1 million contract for development, demonstration, qualification, and limited production of APKWS II laser-guided rockets.
BAE said APKWS II will provide a low-cost, lightweight guided weapon that is effective against soft and lightly armoured targets and is well suited to urban operations. The system will be used on all Army and Navy aircraft currently operating the Hydra 70 rocket. BAE Systems is partnered with Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics. Production will begin in 2008.
BAE Systems uses a mid-body guidance approach that employs its Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS), also used on the Army’s Precision Guided Mortar Munitions Programme. This common product platform is one of the contributing factors in BAE Systems’ low-cost APKWS II solution, said Frank Wilson, director of Precision Targeting for BAE Systems.
Poll: Should the UK’s railways be renationalised?
I think that a network inclusive of the vehicles on it would make sense. However it remains to be seen if there is any plan for it to be for the...