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BAE SYSTEMS Wins Rocket Laser-Guidance System Contract For U.S. Army

10 Apr 2003

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (ATP) has awarded BAE Systems a $26.7 million contract for the development and demonstration of the guidance section of the U.S. Army's Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) Block I programme.

The contract was finalised March 13 with BAE Systems Information & Electronic Warfare Systems (IEWS), headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire.

APKWS is a low-cost precision munition that is highly accurate and effective against soft to lightly armoured targets. The BAE Systems guidance section provides pinpoint accuracy for the Army's unguided Hydra-70 rockets, making them "smart" enough to home in on and destroy enemy targets while minimising collateral damage.

BAE Systems mid-body design features semi-active laser (SAL) guidance that is easily integrated into the 70mm rocket, and allows flexibility for other upgrades.

Jim Mason, BAE Systems IEWS vice president and general manager of Mission Electronics, said, "We are proud to be partnered with General Dynamics. This programme has great potential for our armed forces, will increase crew survivability, and reduce the Army's logistics burden."

Brian Hodges, General Dynamics ATP vice president, Soldier and Missile Systems, said, "We are glad to have BAE Systems on our APKWS team. With the insertion of the Block I guidance technology and a series of future upgrades, the combat-proven 70mm rocket will remain the soldier's weapon of choice."

In September 2002, BAE Systems successfully demonstrated the advanced seeker technology when its engineers launched a 70mm laser-guided rocket using a unique mid-body, fin-mounted guidance system, scoring a "bull's-eye" hit on a small target more than three miles away from its launch point. The Controlled Test Vehicle (CTV) was fired Sept. 19 at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona for the Army's Low Cost Precision Kill (LCPK) programme Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) programme. The LCPK ATD served as the early development phase for the APKWS programme.

The APKWS Block I SDD phase is expected to be completed in 2005, followed by production. APKWS is planned for use on rotary and fixed wing aircraft, unmanned air vehicles, and ground vehicles.
About BAE SYSTEM:

BAE Systems is a systems company, innovating for a safer world. BAE Systems employs nearly 100,000 people including joint ventures, and has annual sales of around 12 billion. The company offers a global capability in air, sea, land and space with a world-class prime contracting ability supported by a range of key skills. BAE Systems designs, manufactures and supports military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, radar, avionics, communications, electronics, guided weapon systems and a range of other defence products. BAE Systems is dedicated to making the intelligent connections needed to deliver innovative solutions.

BAE Systems North America is a high-technology U.S. company with more than 25,000 employees who live and work in some 30 states, the District of Columbia and the United Kingdom. The company is dedicated to solving its customers' needs with both highly innovative and leading-edge solutions across the defence electronics, systems, information technology and services arenas.

BAE Systems Information & Electronic Warfare Systems employs 5,400 people at nine major facilities in seven states. The business unit is a major producer of aircraft self-protection systems and tactical surveillance and intelligence systems for all branches of the armed forces. Other major business areas include microwave, mission and space electronics; infrared imaging; and automated mission planning systems.