BAE Adding Laser-Guided Rocket to Northop Fire Scout UAV; Roy Rumbaugh Comments
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BAE Systems will install a laser-guided rocket onto a Northrop Grumman-made drone, marking the first time this weapon will be integrated onto an unmanned aerial vehicle.
BAE said it will put its Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System on the MQ-8B Fire Scout and also conduct system analyses and modeling based on flight simulations.
The Fire Scout will use the system to detect and attack land- or sea-based targets, said Roy Rumbaugh, a BAE program manager.
Previous tests evaluated the rocket’s performance on both rotary and fixed-wing manned aircraft, he added.
U.S. Marine Corps pilots recently completed an initial operational test and evaluation phase of the APKWS system by firing against stationary and moving targets from AH-1W and UH-1Y helicopters
The system has since been deployed in Afghanistan and the company continues to ship units to theater for use against insurgent forces.
In January, the Navy secured $191 million in funds for the Fire Scout program.
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