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BAE Systems’ laser-guided rocket has been rushed into combat on the AV-8B Harrier, seven months after it was requested by the top brass of the US Marine Corps. The semi-active-laser-seeking 70mm (2.75in) rocket, enabled by BAE’s mid-body guidance and control section, is already deployed on US Navy and Marine Corps attack helicopters and was recently acquired by the Army for the AH-64 Apache gunship, but it will soon become a standard tool on the fixed-wing AV-8B jump jet. US Naval Air Systems Command is delivering 80 units initially to Marine Attack Squadron-223 (VMA-223), which is currently deployed to an undisclosed...

U.S. Marine Corps will initially deploy Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) from AH-1W Cobra helicopters, developed by BAE Systems in partnership with the U.S. government. APKWS provides aviators with a highly precise weapon that is effective against soft and lightly armored targets while minimizing collateral damage. It is mainly important in urban areas and other situations in which non-combatants or friendly forces are near hostile targets. “The weapon system, which transforms standard 2.75-inch unguided rockets to smart, highly precise laser-guided missiles, "is a game-changer for our nation's war fighters," said Mike Lewis, vice president and general manager of soldier...

Aviators from the U.S. Marine Corps completed the integrated test phase of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) program Jan. 5, firing five rounds against stationary and moving targets. All five shots hit their intended targets within 2 meters of the laser designator’s spot. In the final series of shots in integrated testing, five laser-guided rockets were fired from a variety of distances from a Marine AH-1W Cobra helicopter. Four of the shots were against moving targets traveling at a range of speeds, while the fifth shot was against a stationary target board. The program now moves into an...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News), in a media briefing at the Association of the U.S. Army's Winter symposium, revealed an extensive company-funded risk reduction program for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II. Lockheed Martin is competing to design, develop and produce APKWS II. "Our proposal offers the most affordable and credible price with the lowest-risk and most reliable high-performance solution," said Rick Edwards, vice president -- Tactical Missiles, for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "We have invested substantially in a pre-contract test program since the summer of 2005. This...