Missiles & Munitions :: Anti-Armor Weapons & Missiles :: BAT :: Viper Strike

Viper Strike

IOC: 2005
Also Known As: GBU-44/E

Origin: United States of America

Contractor/s: MBDA*, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon

Description: The baseline BAT submunition uses passive infrared and acoustic sensors to find, attack and destroy moving tanks and armored vehicles deep in enemy territory. The BAT is an autonomous weapon capable of detecting, tracking, attack and destroy moving targets through its seekers. It can operate under adverse weather conditions day and night. The BAT is in fact an unpowered aerodynamically stable glider.

The Viper Strike is a very special derivative of the BAT munition intended for engagements against targets inside built up areas. It features a semi-active laser seeker. The Viper Strike must be aimed at the target by someone operating a laser designator. The job can be done by ground troops or by an aircraft. The US Army wants to release the Viper Strike munitions through the Hunter UAV. The Hunter UAV would also act as the target designator in the absence of ground forces.

In June 2005, Northrop-Grumman released the Viper Strike precision munition was undergoing modifications to improve its midcourse guidance using a Global Position System (GPS) receiver in addition to its semi-active laser guidance. This move was aimed at enabling Viper Strike launch from higher altitudes which would translate into a greater standoff range than the baseline laser-guided Viper Strike munition.

On 24 August 2005, Northrop-Grumman announced that it was under contract awarded by the US Special Operations Command to develop Viper Strike as a stand-off precision-guided munition on the AC-130 Gunship. The contract was expected to conclude by December 2006 and included the development of a two-way data link to allow communications between Viper Strike and the launch aircraft.

In December 2011, MBDA purchased Northrop-Grumman's Viper Strike Munitions Business in Huntsville, Alabama.

Parent system is the BAT
IOC: 2000
Other Family Members: BAT and P3I BAT

Applications:

Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicles
Tactical Unmanned Rotorcrafts
Tanker Aircraft

Hunter

MQ-8B Fire Scout

KC-130J Super Hercules

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:: Specifications ::

Dimensions
Length: 910 millimeter (35.8 inch)
Wingspan: 140 millimeter (5.51 inch)

Weight
Weight: 20 kilogram (44 pound)

:: News ::

There are 11 news between
9 Apr 2003
and
4 Sep 2012

1 2

GBU-44/E Viper Strike Munition Scores Direct Hits Against High Speed Targets GBU-44/E Viper Strike Munition Scores Multiple Direct Hits Released from KC-130J Harvest Hawk MBDA Purchases Viper Strike Munitions Business Additional Viper Strikes with Moving Target Capability Being Added to KC-130J Arsenal Viper Strike Being Added to US Marines KC-130J Aircraft Arsenal Hunter Unmanned Air System Successfully Completes GPS-guided Viper Strike Testing Hunter-Viper Strike Completes Testing at White Sands Missile Range Viper Strike Smart Munition Tested on AC-130 Gunship Greater Launch Altitude for Viper Strike Fire Scout UAV Joins Future Combat Systems

:: Operators ::

Operators
	Country	Items	Country	Items
	United States of America	?

fully confirmed operational planned retired cancelled destroyed

:: Image Gallery ::

There are 3 images added between
7 Dec 2006
and
17 Apr 2012

:: Notes & Resources ::

Last Updated:
Saturday, February 2, 2013

(*) lead contractor

IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
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