The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) is a developmental program to provide a laser guided missile

Missile

Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...

 which is compatible with existing Hydra 70

Hydra 70

The Hydra 70 rocket is a weapon derived from the 70 mm Mk 4/Mk 40 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket developed by the United States Navy for use as a free-flight aerial rocket in the late 1940s.-Overview:...

 unguided rocket

Rocket

A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...

 systems in service.

Overview

Where possible the system utilizes existing Hydra 70 components such as launchers, rocket motors, warhead

Warhead

The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...

s and fuze

Fuze

Fuze Beverage, commercially referred to as just Fuze , is a manufacturer of teas and non-carbonated fruit drinks enriched with vitamins. Currently the brand consists of five vitamin-infused lines: Slenderize, Refresh, Tea, Defensify, and Vitalize...

s. The weapon bridges the gap between the Hydra 70 and AGM-114 Hellfire

AGM-114 Hellfire

The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-surface missile developed primarily for anti-armor use. It has multi-mission, multi-target precision-strike capability, and can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms. The Hellfire missile is the primary 100 lb-class air-to-ground precision...

 systems and provides a cost-effective method of engaging lightly armored point targets.

Design

The winning bidder for the APKWS II contract was the team of BAE Systems

BAE Systems

BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...

, Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...

 and General Dynamics

General Dynamics

General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...

, beating out the offerings from Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....

 and Raytheon Systems.

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 canard

Canard (aeronautics)

In aeronautics, canard is an airframe configuration of fixed-wing aircraft in which the forward surface is smaller than the rearward, the former being known as the "canard", while the latter is the main wing...

s, 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.

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

Program status

• 2002: APKWS development test series begins.
• April 2005: General Dynamics APKWS program cancelled due to poor test results.
• October 2005: Competition re-opened as APKWS II.
• September 2005: Successful flight test of BAE APKWS II.
• April 2006: BAE Systems selected as prime contractor for the APKWS II program.
• February 2007: Funding for program withdrawn in proposed FY2008 budget.

• May 2007: Successful flight test of BAE APKWS II in production-ready configuration.
• November 2008: Transfer of contract from US Army to US Navy.

See also

• AASM
  AASM
  The Armement Air-Sol Modulaire is a French Precision-Guided Munition developed by Sagem Défense Sécurité. AASM comprises a frontal guidance kit and a rear-mounted range extension kit matched to a dumb bomb. The weapon is modular because it can integrate different types of guidance units and...
  
  
• Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket
  Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket
  The Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket is a weapons system under development for the US Navy in a joint program with South Korea. The program aims to provide a precision guided 2.75 inch rocket for use with existing Hydra 70 systems in service, as such it has many similarities with the Advanced...
  
  
• Direct Attack Guided Rocket
  Direct Attack Guided Rocket
  The Direct Attack Guided Rocket is a weapons system under development by Lockheed Martin. The program goal is to provide a low cost 2.75 inch precision guided rocket which is compatible with existing Hellfire II systems and launchers in service...
  
  
• Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket - Laser
  Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket - Laser
  The Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket is a weapons systems under development by Alliant Techsystems and Elbit Systems. It is intended to provide a low-cost guided missile compatible with existing unguided 70mm rocket launch platforms such as the Hydra 70....
  
  
• Roketsan Cirit

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