BAE Confident of Selling Precision Rocket Guidance Systems To US Army

BAE is confident that the US Army will begin buying its precision rocket guidance system by 2015.

“We’re really looking forward to bringing it to the Army,” David Harrold, director of precision guidance solutions and electronic systems, BAE Systems said at the Farnborough Airshow on Thursday.

The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, or APKWS, converts a 2.75-inch Hydra rocket into “smart” munitions by adding a semi-active laser guidance and control mid-section. It costs around $30000 a piece, lesser than the price of AGM 114 Hellfire missile by Lockheed Martin according to Harrold.  It is effective at soft, light targets and small boats.

“I’m feeling pretty bullish about the Army buying some APKWS in 2015,” Harrold said.