BAE Systems Reveals Next-Gen APKWS Guidance Kits for Rocket Systems

BAE Systems has developed an advanced version of its APKWS guidance kit which aims at increasing the effective range of APKWS guided rockets.

The upgrade reportedly improves the effective range of APKWS guided rockets by up to 30%. The system provides the ability to engage targets at a steeper angle of attack and provided optimized attack trajectory, improvements in the first-shot success against stationary and moving targets, the company said in a statement Monday.

The upgraded guidance kit also qualifies a single variant of the weapon for rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft across the U.S. armed forces customers.

APKWS is the U.S. government's only program of record for guiding 2.75-inch laser-guided rockets. Initial production of APKWS block upgrade guidance kits will start in Q3 2021.

BAE Systems’ APKWS guidance kits are manufactured in production facility in Hudson, New Hampshire.