BAE Systems secures contract for Navy rockets

BAE Systems has secured a $2.68 billion Navy contract for indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity purchase of thousands of additional Advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS) Laser-Guided Rockets.

“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.”

APKWS rockets address the gap between unguided rockets and large precision munitions. The effort serves as the government’s only program of record for 2.75 inch laser-guided rockets.

The agreement empowers the Navy to purchase APKWS guidance kits over five years, representing full-rate production lots 8-12, adding as a means of meeting growing demand, BAE Systems has increased production at its advanced manufacturing facilities in Hudson, N.H., and Austin, Texas.

The Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Army utilize the APKWS rockets. The weapons are also available to allied nations through Foreign Military Sales.