BAE Systems awarded $225M for advanced precision kill weapon system

BAE Systems has been awarded a $225 million Defense Department contract for an advanced precision kill weapon system, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc is awarded $225 million for delivery order N0001919F2701 against a previously awarded contract to procure 9,999 additional Lot 7, full-rate production units of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II, the Defense Department said.

Also added that the procurement of the additional APKWS II weapons will upgrade the current 2.75-inch rocket system to a semi-active laser guided precision weapon in support of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and the governments of Nigeria and the Netherlands. 

Work will be performed in Hudson, New Hampshire; and Austin, Texas, and is expected to be completed in September 2020.

The APKWS rocket redefines precision by hitting the target with pinpoint accuracy and minimal collateral damage – critical for air-to-ground missions when you only have one shot. The rocket is proven in combat for five years running, and is the U.S. Government’s only program of record for 2.75-inch laser-guided rockets.

The APKWS rocket exceeds program requirements as the most accurate precision guided weapon in its class. It is utilized by all four U.S. armed forces, with deliveries to numerous allied countries. In combat, the rocket has achieved over a 93 percent hit rate when fired from rotary- and fixed-wing platforms.