Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System
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The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) is a developmental program to provide a laser guided missile which is compatible with existing Hydra 70 unguided rocket systems in service.
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[edit] Overview
Where possible the system utilizes existing Hydra 70 components such as launchers, rocket motors, warheads and fuzes. The weapon bridges the gap between the Hydra 70 and AGM-114 Hellfire systems and provides a cost-effective method of engaging lightly armored point targets.
[edit] Design
The winning bidder for the APKWS II contract was the team of BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics,[1] beating out the offerings from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Systems.[2]
The APKWS II would have shared the Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS) technology with the PGMM. This system allows a laser seeker to be located in the leading edge of each of the forward control canards, working in unison as if they were a single seeker. This configuration would have allowed existing warheads from the Hydra 70 system to be used without the need for a laser seeker in the missile nose.
[edit] Specifications
- Diameter: 70 mm
- Guidance: Semi-active laser homing.
- CEP: < 1 m
- Motor: Existing Hydra 70 motors.
- Warhead: Existing Hydra 70 warheads.
- Unit cost: ~ $10,000 [3]
[edit] Program status
- 2002: APKWS development test series begins.[4]
- April 2005: General Dynamics APKWS program cancelled due to poor test results.[5]
- October 2005: Competition re-opened as APKWS II.[5]
- September 2005: Successful flight test of BAE APKWS II.[6]
- April 2006: BAE Systems selected as prime contractor for the APKWS II program.[7]
- February 2007: Funding for program withdrawn in proposed FY2008 budget.[8][9]
- May 2007: Successful flight test of BAE APKWS II in production-ready configuration.[10]
- November 2008: Transfer of contract from US Army to US Navy.[11]
[edit] See also
- AASM
- Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket
- Direct Attack Guided Rocket
- Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket - Laser
- Roketsan Cirit
- List of laser articles
[edit] References
- ^ U.S. ARMY SELECTS BAE SYSTEMS FOR APKWS II CONTRACT - BAE
- ^ U.S. Army Picks BAE Missile for Advanced Precision Kill Weapon - defensenews.com[dead link]
- ^ BAe says it’s down to the wire - Shephard Group[dead link]
- ^ APKWS II - Deagel
- ^ a b Air-Launched 2.75-Inch Rockets - Designation Systems
- ^ BAE SYSTEMS 70MM LASER-GUIDED ROCKET ACHIEVES TWO DIRECT HITS - BAE
- ^ APKWS II "Hellfire Jr." Hydra Rockets Enter SDD Phase
- ^ Army Proposes Major Weapons Cuts - military.com
- ^ [1] US Army 2008 R&D Budget Request (Page 4)
- ^ "BAE SYSTEMS CONDUCTS SUCCESSFUL TEST OF ADVANCED PRECISION KILL WEAPON SYSTEM - BAE PR". http://www.baesystems.com/Newsroom/NewsReleases/autoGen_10749142322.html.
- ^ "BAE SYSTEMS PRECISION-TARGETED WEAPON DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM NOW LED BY U.S. NAVY AND MARINE CORPS". http://www.baesystems.com/Newsroom/NewsReleases/autoGen_108104144350.html.
[edit] External links
- APKWS - BAE Systems
- Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS) - BAE Systems
- Hydra-70 Rockets: From Cutbacks to the Future of Warfare - Defense Industry Daily
- Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System - Defense Update
- Laser Guided APKWS II Rockets for USMC Harrier, Air Combat Command’s Warthog - Defense-Update
- Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) - Global Security
- BAE Systems' video of APKWS on YouTube
