US Navy Awards BAE $2.7B for APKWS Laser-Guided Rockets

The United States Navy has awarded BAE Systems a contract valued $2.68 billion to supply thousands of additional APKWS Laser-Guided Rockets.

"Following a US Department of Defense announcement in September 2019, BAE Systems announced that the U.S. Navy has signed a $2.68 billion indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for the purchase of thousands of additional APKWS Laser-Guided Rockets," the company said in a statement Wednesday.

APKWS rockets fill the gap between unguided rockets and large precision munitions, and are the U.S. government's only program of record for 2.75" laser-guided rockets. APKWS guidance kits are compatible with new inventories of rocket motors, warheads, and launchers, and easily transform unguided rockets into precision munitions with little training.

"Our armed forces customers are looking to apply just the right amount of force at the right location to execute their missions without unnecessary damage," said Marc Casseres, director of Precision Guidance and Sensing Solutions at BAE Systems. "APKWS rockets provide warfighters with the unique ability to precisely engage targets without excessive force, reducing the risk to nearby forces, civilians, and assets. It’s the driving force behind growing global demand."

The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract enables the Navy to purchase APKWS guidance kits over a five-year period, representing full-rate production lots 8-12.

The APKWS laser-guided rocket is used by the US Navy, US Marine Corps, US Air Force, and US Army, and is available to allied nations via Foreign Military Sales.