The US Navy has placed a large order for the laser-guided rocket made by BAE Systems. The Department of Defense communicates a potential contract from 600 million dollars with the US branch of the British aerospace giant for theAdvanced Precision Kill Weapon System.
The first batch of the agreement, worth 130 million dollars in three years, was signed after the US Navy started testing the so-called smart rockets on board MH-60R / S helicopters Seahawk and MH-60S Knighthawk. Each launcher is able to fire 19 rockets, three times the current capacity loaded on AH-1 helicopters Cobra and UH-1 Huey.
The technology is not limited to rotary wing aircraft. The Air Force started equipping the F-16 and A-10 with APKWS rockets.
THEAdvanced Precision Kill Weapon System is actually a kit that transforms unguided rockets, like the ones Hydra from 2,75 inches (70 millimeters) in semi-active laser-guided smart missiles with an 93% accuracy rate. This is a low-cost option for precision attacks, which cost less than 30.000 dollars per rocket, one third of the price of an AGM-114 missile Hellfire made by Lockheed Martin. Although it is not as powerful as theHellfire, the APKWS is effective against light targets.
According to the agreement, theAdvanced Precision Kill Weapon System it will be handed over to all branches of the US military and to the allies who request it.
(photo: US Navy / BAE Systems)
