U.S. Navy and industry partner BAE recently shipped 110 Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) guided rocket units to Jordan for i...
U.S. Navy and industry partner BAE recently shipped 110 Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) guided rocket units to Jordan for integration on its CN-235 light gunship aircraft.
Jordan is the first international partner to receive APKWS, a laser-guided rocket that can destroy targets while limiting collateral damage in close combat.
APKWS fills the gap between the Hellfire missile and unguided rockets. This rocket is one-third of the cost and weight of the existing inventory of laser-guided weapons.
The APKWS system converts the unguided Hydra 70, 2.75 inch rocket into a precision guided munition with the addition of a semi-active laser guidance unit developed by the BAE Systems, to strike soft and lightly armored targets in built-up and confined areas.
Since 2012, APKWS has primarily been used on the U.S. Marine Corps AH-1 and UH-1 helicopter platforms. In 2014 the Navy declared early operational capability for the MH-60S fleet and followed up in 2015 with the MH-60R fleet. Recently, the Army acquired an initial quantity of APKWS for their Apache helicopter in support of current overseas operations.
APKWS has also been tested on fixed-wing aircraft. The Marine Corps has begun activities to integrate on the AV-8B Harrier, while the Air Force is pursuing integration for their A-10 and F-16 platforms.
The program office has received 13 formal letters of request (LORs) from international customers expressing interest in acquiring APKWS. Eighteen months ago, there was only one international request from Jordan. In the last year, the Navy signed FMS cases with Iraq and the Netherlands and the U.S Army Security Assistance Command signed a case with Tunisia.
The Airbus C-235 is medium range twin engined tactical military transport aircraft. Jordan has converted two of its C-235 and one larger C-295 into light gunship role under a contract awarded to Orbital ATK. The aircraft is equipped with electro-optical targeting system, self protection system, four Hellfire laser guided missiles, two rocket pods for APKWS and a 30 mm chain gun.
