Domper escribió:
Se trata de un arma en fase de desarrollo, o que apenas ha entrado en servicio. Puede tener interés, desde luego, pero no sé si está al alcance de empresas españolas salvo como desarrollo a medio o largo plazo.
Saludos
The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) is a laser-guided rocket compatible with existing Hydra 70 unguided rockets to turn them into precision-guided munitions
Deployment
March 2012: APKWS II achieves initial operating capability (IOC) and is sent to Afghanistan with United States Marine Corps. Plans are to integrate it onto the MQ-8 Fire Scout.[18]
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.[19]
September 2012: The Navy awards a contract to officially integrate the APKWS into the Fire Scout.[20]
October 2012: BAE announces its intention to modify the APKWS II to be fired from fixed-wing tactical fighter platforms.[21]
January 2013: Additional conversion kits ordered. No in flight failures during the 100 combat launches in Afghanistan to date.[22]
February 2013: APKWS launched from an A-10 Thunderbolt II. Three sorties were conducted. The first sortie carried the 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.[23]
March 2013: APKWS is integrated onto the Bell 407GT.[24]
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 Mk152 high explosive and MK149 flechette warheads. The UH-1Y had the boats designated by an MH-60S.[25]
October 2013: APKWS successfully fired from an AH-64 Apache. Eight rockets were fired with the helicopter flying at up to 150 kn (170 mph; 280 km/h) and up to 5 km (3.1 mi) 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.[26]
March 2014: LAU-61 G/A Digital Rocket Launcher (DRL) deployed with HSC-15.[27]
July 2014: BAE reveals that the APKWS has reached Early Operational Capability (EOC) with one squadron of MH-60S helicopters. The MH-60R will be outfitted within "12-18 months."[28]
August 2014: APKWS tested on Australian Army Eurocopter Tiger at Woomera Test Range. A helicopter was on the ground and fired seven rockets which successfully hit their targets. The rocket could enter Australian service by early 2015 on army Tigers and navy MH-60R helicopters.[29][3]
November 2014: APKWS tested on Australian Army, 16 Aviation Brigade, Eurocopter Tigers, this time airborne, near Darwin. Tests included using APKWS to convert a Forges de Zeebrugge (FZ) unguided rocket into a laser precision-guided weapon. Of the ten rockets were fired, all struck within a metre of the laser spot.[3]
October 2015: US Army AH-64 Apache helicopters to field weapon in Iraq and Afghanistan.[30]
March 2016: First rocket variants for launch from fixed-wing aircraft shipped to Marine Corps Harriers.[31]
Export
On 14 April 2014, the U.S. Navy signed an agreement with the Jordanian Air Force for the first international sale of the APKWS for use on the CN-235 gunship.[32] Jordan received 110 units in late November 2015.[33]
In November 2014, the State Department approved the sale of up to 2,000 APKWS rockets to Iraq.[34]
In June 2015, a deal to sell 6 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to the Lebanese Air Force was approved that included the sale of 2,000 APKWS rockets for use on the turboprops. The US$462 million sale was financed by Saudi Arabia.[35][36]
Maestro...algo mas que en desarrollo
GRITA DEVASTACION Y SUELTA A LOS PERROS DE LA GUERRA.
Julio César,Shakespeare
