03-03-2013, 23:41
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חבר מתאריך: 13.11.04
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עדכון על רקטות ה APKWS II - המתחרה של ה GATR
בתגובה להודעה מספר 1 שנכתבה על ידי dorratz שמתחילה ב "אלביט מדווחת על ניסוי ירי מוצלח ברקטה מונחית לייזר - GATR"
Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) Goes to War
http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/...ii-goes-to-war/
The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has fielded the new BAE systems built Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System II (APKWS II) in Afghanistan where it is being used by the service’s UH-1Y and AH-1W helicopters in counter insurgency (COIN) operations against soft and lightly armored/hardened targets as well as fleeting – time critical – targets that may only be exposed for five seconds or so.
In essence, APKWS converts the standard 2.75-inch (70 mm) Hydra unguided rocket into a semi-active laser (SAL)-guided precision munition through the addition of a soda can-sized mid-body guidance unit (WGU-59/B) developed by BAE Systems. BAE describes APKWS II as a “plug and play,” “point and shoot” weapon that is fired like the unguided 2.75-inch rocket with minimal crew training. The weapon is easily field assembled by removing the warhead,
APKWS II bridges a weapons gap between the machine guns and cannons, unguided rockets (with a range of 1000 meters to 6000 meters) and the anti-armor, laser guided Hellfire/ Hellfire II missile with a range of 1000 meters to 8000 meters. BAE’s Director of Precision Guidance Solutions, John Watkins, says APKWS, costing a little over $30,000 per unit, is a precise rapid-fire missile system, available at one-third the cost and one-third of the weight of the existing inventory of laser-guided weapons.
However, the entire APKWS II system comprises a launching platform; the lengthened 7-tube LAU-68 F/A rocket launcher; the SCS 7 aiming cue for the UH-1Y (the AH-1W does not need it); the AUR (all up rounds) as well as two types of storage containers – the Fastpack PA-140 for four AUR and CNU-711/E for four guidance kits
Disclosing that that operational testing (with about 50 shots) yielded an average CEP – or average miss distance – of 0.44 meters, with weapons being fired from 1,500 meters to 5,000 meters, Corey says, “Every rocket has hit the laser mark. The requirement was 94 percent success rate and we met it.” At present, the weapon is in LRIP (low rate initial production) with a unit cost of $28,500 for the guidance unit, while the rocket itself costs around $1,500-2,000 per round. Industry analysts expect costs to drop significantly with volume orders.
The first contract for 325 units has been delivered. A second contract for 600 shipsets is underway since FY11. As of mid-April, 2012, about 400 units had been accepted, with a production rate of roughly 80 units per month. Full Rate Production is under negotiation, with a decision expected this year. It is expected to be in two lots of 1,000 units – one each for FY12 and FY13, with Lot 3 expected in FY14.
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