BAE Systems Selected as Prime Contractor for APKWS II

Released on Thursday, April 27, 2006

The U.S. Army has selected BAE Systems as prime contractor for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) program. The company received a $96.1 million contract for development, demonstration, qualification, and limited production of APKWS II laser-guided rockets.

APKWS II will provide a low-cost, lightweight guided weapon that is effective against soft and lightly armored targets and is well-suited to urban operations. The system will be used on all Army and Navy aircraft currently operating the Hydra 70 rocket. BAE Systems is partnered with Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics. Production will begin in 2008.

BAE Systems uses a mid-body guidance approach that employs its Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS), also used on the Army's Precision Guided Mortar Munitions Program. This common product platform is one of the contributing factors in BAE Systems' low-cost APKWS II solution.