Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System



The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) is a laser guided missile which is compatible with existing Hydra 70 unguided rocket launchers and components in service.

Development
Where possible the system utilizes existing Hydra 70 components such as launchers, rocket motors, warheads and fuzes. The weapon bridges the gap between the Hydra 70 and AGM-114 Hellfire systems and provides a cost-effective method of engaging lightly armored point targets. APKWS is the U.S. government’s only program of record for the semi-active, laser-guided 2.75-inch (70 millimeter) rocket. It converts the Hydra 70 unguided rocket into a precision guided munition through the addition of a mid-body guidance unit developed by BAE Systems.

Design
The winning bidder for the APKWS II contract was the team of BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics, beating out the offerings from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Systems.

The APKWS II shares the Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS) technology with the XM395 mortar round. This system allows a laser seeker to be located in the leading edge of each of the forward control canards, working in unison as if they were a single seeker. This configuration allows existing warheads from the Hydra 70 system to be used without the need for a laser seeker in the missile nose.

Program status

 * 2002: APKWS development test series begins.
 * April 2005: General Dynamics APKWS program cancelled due to poor test results.
 * October 2005: Competition re-opened as APKWS II.
 * September 2005: Successful flight test of BAE APKWS II.
 * April 2006: BAE Systems selected as prime contractor for the APKWS II program.
 * February 2007: Funding for program withdrawn in proposed FY2008 budget.


 * May 2007: Successful flight test of BAE APKWS II in production-ready configuration.
 * November 2008: Transfer of contract from US Army to US Navy.

Deployment

 * March 2012: APKWS II achieves IOC and is sent to Afghanistan with USMC.  Plans are to integrate it onto the MQ-8 Fire Scout.
 * July 2012: BAE Systems receives full-rate production contract for APKWS from the U.S. Navy. The first FRP deliveries were in October 2012 and the company expected the next FRP option to be awarded by the end of 2012. APKWS is approximately one-third of the cost and one-third of the weight of the current inventory of laser-guided weapons in use by U.S. forces, and a lower yield weapon suitable for tighter spaces. The APKWS takes one quarter of the time for ordnance personnel to use (load and unload the weapon). It has been deployed to Afghanistan and is being successfully used in theatre today by USMC personnel.
 * September 2012: The Navy awards a contract to officially integrate the APKWS into the Fire Scout.
 * October 2012: BAE announces its intention to modify the APKWS II to be fired from fixed-wing tactical fighter platforms.
 * January 2013: Additional conversion kits ordered. No in flight failures during the 100 combat launches in Afghanistan to date.
 * February 2013: APKWS launched from an A-10 Thunderbolt II. Three sorties were conducted.  The first sortie carried he rocket and launcher, and the second sortie fired an inert, unguided rocket to ensure the weapon would separate from the aircraft.  Two armed rockets were fired during the third sortie from 10,000 and 15,000 feet.  The second rocket launched into a 70 knot headwind, and both impacted within inches of the target.  The Air Force is considering using the APKWS II operationally by 2015 if further testing is successful.
 * March 2013: APKWS is integrated onto the Bell 407GT.
 * April 2013: A UH-1Y Venom fired 10 APKWS rockets at stationary and moving small boat targets, scoring 100 percent accurate hits on single and multiple targets over water. The engagement ranged from 2–4 km using inert warheads, Mk152 high explosive warheads, and MK149 flechette warheads.  The UH-1Y had the boats designated by an MH-60S.
 * October 2013: APKWS successfully fired from an AH-64 Apache. Eight rockets were fired with the helicopter flying at up to 150 knot and up to 5 km from the target.  Launch altitudes ranged from 300 ft to 1,500 ft.  BAE wants airworthiness qualification on the Apache for international sales to AH-64 operators.

Specifications

 * Diameter: 70 mm
 * Guidance: Semi-active laser homing.
 * CEP: < 1 m
 * Motor: Existing Hydra 70 motors.
 * Warhead: Existing Hydra 70 warheads.
 * Unit cost: ~ $28,500
 * APKWS is a “plug and play,” “point and shoot” weapon, and is fired like the unguided 2.75-inch rocket. The weapon is easily assembled and can be shot with minimal instruction, as if it were an unguided rocket

Launch platforms

 * Current rotary wing:
 * UH-1Y Venom
 * AH-1W SuperCobra
 * AH-1Z Viper
 * Bell 407GT
 * Planned rotary wing
 * MQ-8 Fire Scout
 * MH-60R/S Seahawk
 * OH-58 Kiowa (company funded)
 * AH-64 Apache (company funded)
 * Planned fixed-wing
 * A-10 Thunderbolt II
 * AV-8B Harrier II
 * F/A-18 Super Hornet
 * F-16 Fighting Falcon