Paveway IV Integrating on Harrier GR 9

Released on Monday, June 13, 2005

A BAE Systems Harrier trials aircraft has commenced an extensive flight trials program to integrate the Raytheon Paveway IV precision guided bomb as part of the Harrier upgrade program to the GR 9/9A standard. This represent a major milestone for the project.

The flight was a first for both an instrumented environmental round and an unguided carriage, handling and jettison round. Flights have included carriage of four rounds with drop tanks on the inboard pylons.

Paveway IV has been chosen by the MOD to provide the RAF with an all weather precision bombing capability, based on both GPS aided inertial guidance and laser tracking.

Harrier, as lead aircraft for this technology, is also introducing new software and cockpit displays to aid pilot situation awareness and control the targeting of the new weapons.

The trials will continue over the coming months.