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29 Apr 21. Drones Help US Navy Destroyer Hit Target at 250 Miles. Using a blend of information from unmanned and manned ships and aircraft, a guided-missile destroyer launched an anti-surface missile from over-the-horizon to hit a target more than 250 miles away without using active sensors as part of the Unmanned Integrated Battle Problem 21, Navy officials said on Monday.
The target was equipped with a small radar reflector and a repeater that put out an electromagnetic signal. The signal from the repeater was detectable by sensors on the uncrewed aircraft and manned and unmanned surface vessels, said Carrier Strike Group 3 commander Rear Adm. James Aiken during a Monday call with reporters.
The information was relayed to USS John Finn (DDG-113), which used the blended targeting data to fire a Standard Missile-6 to hit the target more than 200 miles away and beyond the range of its powerful radar.
“It was really complex… We teamed manned and unmanned vessels together. We also used the fusing capability that we’re doing some experimentation on. It was totally passive where we didn’t have active sensors on target,” Aiken said.
“We also look for space as well to actually identify the target and then once we found the target, we were able to track it because of the [electromagnetic signal] that was coming off the target, develop lines of bearing, then launched the missile.”
The anti-surface missile shot of the SM-6 is a proof of concept of how the Navy could augment its very powerful but very detectable targeting radars with a blended network of passive sensors that could share targeting data without alerting the target. The test also shows how the lethal radius of a surface-launched missile could expand well beyond a ship’s radar range, which is limited by the curvature of the Earth.
“This was an important step in moving the ball down the field to getting unmanned plugged into that targeting solution,”
U.S. Pacific Fleet Maritime Headquarters director Rear Adm. Robert Gaucher told reporters.
Driving much of the Navy’s thinking in how it develops its future surface fleet, both manned and unmanned, is the development of Chinese anti-ship missiles that are designed to threaten U.S. surface ships in areas close to the Chinese mainland like the South China Sea.
“They’re pouring a lot of money in the ability to basically rim their coast in the South China Sea with anti-ship missile capability,” Vice Adm. Jeffrey Trussler, the deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare (OPNAV N2/N6), said in January.
“They’re probably aimed and specifically developed towards the United States Navy.”
The danger of Chinese DF-21 or DF-26 anti-ship ballistic missiles finding ships from active sensors has given the Navy pause in how it’s going to develop its own future surface combatants and driven the service to consider so-called attritable unmanned systems with passive sensors that don’t give away their location to an enemy.
A passive multi-static sensor scheme, like the one demonstrated in the SM-6 shot, that would fuse several sources into a single targeting solution would better protect the surface fleet from threats like anti-ship ballistic missiles than using a single ship with a powerful active sensor.
The SM-6 shot was one of three vignettes in the battle problem that was the Navy’s largest exercise to date blending manned and unmanned. Other scenarios included using unmanned systems for anti-submarine warfare and information surveillance and reconnaissance.
The goal of the battle problem was to test the capability with fleet sailors and better inform how the service could use the systems in the future.
“We need to move things into the hands of sailors and then let sailors use their ingenuity,” Aiken said last week. Sailors, “just don’t sit quietly. They’re able to contribute, they’re able to apply these types of systems into capabilities.” (Source: UAS VISION/USNI News)
28 Apr 21. Switchblade 600 loitering missile to equip US Naval Special Warfare craft. AeroVironment will integrate its Switchblade 600 loitering missile system onto US Naval Special Warfare (NSW) combatant craft under a USD26.1m contract awarded by the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Announced by the company on 27 April, the contract will address a requirement for a Maritime Precision Engagement (MPE) capability to defeat asymmetric threats on land and at sea. Both the 18.2m Combatant Craft Medium (CCM) and the 24.3 m Combatant Craft Heavy (CCH) have been identified as potential host platforms for the MPE capability. Based on the same self-contained, tube-launched, collapsible wing, electric propulsion architecture as the earlier Switchblade 300, the larger Switchblade 600 weighs 54.5 kg including the all-up round in the tube, and the fire control system (FCS). It is furnished with a two-axis, four-sensor gimballed (dual electro-optic and infrared) integrated sensor suite, and a multipurpose/anti-armour warhead, derived from the FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank guided missile, equipped with a height of burst sensor. A modular payload bay provides for the integration of an array of lethality options, including, potentially, an anti-radiation Switchblade 600 variant. An onboard AES 256 encrypted digital datalink and a Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) GPS deliver resilient communications and signal integrity in electronic warfare environments. A target lock-on capability enables day/night precision engagement of non-line-of-sight hardened static and moving armour targets. Other features include automatic target recognition, selectable attack angle options, a patented wave-off/recommit capability, and a modular payload bay enabling multimission capabilities. (Source: Jane’s)
28 Apr 21. India test-fires Python 5 AAM from Tejas LCA. India’s government-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted the first test-firings of the Israeli-made, imaging infrared (IIR)-guided Python 5 air-to-air missile (AAM) from a Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). In a 28 April statement the Indian government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) said that the trials, which took place the previous day over Goa in southwestern India, were aimed at adding the fifth-generation, short-range missile – made by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems – to the LCA’s air-to-air weapon capabilities. The Python 5 test-firings were the last in a series of missile trials designed to validate the aircraft’s performance under “extremely challenging scenarios”, noted the PIB, adding that the I-Derby ER (extended range) beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), which is also made by Rafael, was also test-fired. The Derby missile “achieved [a] direct hit on a high-speed manoeuvring aerial target and the Python missiles also achieved 100% hits, thereby validating their complete capability”, noted the PIB, adding that the trials “met all their planned objectives”. The LCA used for the missile trials belonged to India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and were flown by Indian Air Force (IAF) test pilots, said the PIB. The bureau noted that prior to these trials extensive missile carriage flight tests were conducted at Bengaluru to assess the integration of the Python 5 with other systems aboard the Tejas, including avionics, the fire-control radar, the missile weapon delivery and the flight control systems. (Source: Jane’s)
28 Apr 21. France test-fired an M51 strategic missile into the Atlantic. The French DGA military procurement agency successfully test-fired the M51.2 strategic ballistic missile on Wednesday morning from its Biscarosse test site on France’s Atlantic coast.
The missile, central to France’s nuclear deterrence policy, was not carrying a warhead and the test was undertaken “in the strict respect of France’s international treaty commitments,” according to a statement issued by the Ministry for the Armed Forces.
Although the M51.2 missile is already operational, it is regularly tested. Data and lessons learned from the tests are used for development of the next increment of the missile, the M51.3, which is scheduled for delivery to the French Navy in 2025. This version should have a range several hundred kilometers beyond the capacity of the M51.2 and will equip the four third-generation, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines that will replace the Le Triomphant class from 2035.
The missile was followed along its flight path by the DGA’s missile test team until it landed in the North Atlantic “several hundred kilometers from any coastline.”
Florence Parly, minister for the Armed Forces, said in the statement that she was satisfied with the test and “heartily congratulated” staff from the ministry, from the CEA atomic and alternative energy agency, and the companies who all participated in the test.
The 54 tonne (60 ton) M51 is the key component of the French Strategic Ocean Force. It is a three-stage, sea-land strategic ballistic missile carried aboard the four French Le Triomphant class submarines. Each missile can carry six to 10 independently targetable TN 75 thermonuclear warheads.
The prime contractor for the program is ArianeGroup, responsible for upstream research, design, development and production of the missiles, the land-based operating infrastructure and the command and control system aboard the submarines. The company is also responsible for in-service support and end-of-life disposal. ArianeGroup works with 140 suppliers on this program, but overall more than 900 companies are involved. (Source: Defense News)
28 Apr 21. RoK chooses locally built marine helicopter over foreign offers. South Korea’s defense procurement agency has announced a plan to introduce locally built marine attack helicopters designed for amphibious assault and close-air support.
The decision was made during a Defense Acquisition Program Administration meeting presided over by Defense Minister Suh Wook on April 26. As a result, Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI, the country’s only aircraft maker, is to develop and produce 24 armed variants of the Korea Utility Helicopter, dubbed Surion, for delivery as early as 2031.
KAI developed the Surion with the help of Airbus Helicopters, formerly known as Eurocopter, in 2012 under a partnership forged in 2006. KAI has since produced more than 200 Surion helicopters for the Army and developed modified variants for different services, such as ones for medical evacuation, amphibious operations and law enforcement.
The announcement will have slashed the hopes of foreign helicopter makers bidding for the $1.4bn program. Among the foreign bidders were Bell Textron proposing its AH-1Z Viper; Boeing with the AH-64E Apache Guardian; Turkish Aerospace Industries offering the T129 ATAK; and Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky pitching the S-70i.
“The decision was made after a comprehensive review of the operational capability and efficiency of the new helicopter fleet, in line with the helicopter’s interoperability with the existing fleet of amphibious helicopters for marines, namely Marineon,” the DAPA said in a statement.
The latest study on the method of procuring marine attack helicopters suggested the acquisition of a domestically built platform would be more cost-effective than buying a foreign-made model, according to the agency.
System scalability was another key consideration in choosing the domestic platform, as the South Korean military has plans to add a manned-unmanned teaming system to its helicopter fleet.
“By introducing marine attack helicopters, Marines’ operational capability of amphibious assault [and] close-air support would be enhanced, particularly in the defense of the northwestern islands (near the inter-Korean maritime border),” the statement said, adding local production of helicopters would also contribute to job creation.
KAI displayed a concept for a marine attack helicopter variant in 2019. Powered by a twin turboshaft engine with 1,800-plus horsepower, the marine attack version is to be armed with Lockheed Martin’s AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missile; the Mistral ATAM air-to-air missile developed by MBDA; 2.75-inch nonguided and guided rockets; and the 20mm turret gun, according to KAI.
The helicopter is envisaged to be fitted with the nose-mounted electro-optical/infrared targeting and designation system primarily developed by Hanwha Systems for the South Korean Army’s future light attack helicopter. The crew would receive head-mounted displays and night vision goggles.
Still, there are lingering worries over the shipborne operational capability of KAI’s marine attack helicopter modified from the ground-based KUH-1 utility helicopter.
“What KAI has proposed is an armed helicopter, not an attack helicopter,” Shin In-kyun, head of the Korea Defense Network, a Seoul-based defense think tank, wrote in an article for a local magazine in February. “This type of helicopter gunship has poor performances compared to inherent attack helicopters like the AH-64E and AH-1Z, while there is little difference in price.”
Shin indicated the Surion has a wide cabin with side-by-side seat, which is vulnerable to enemy fire and can block the pilot’s view. (Source: Defense News)
28 Apr 21. USMC’s NMESIS: NSM Being Launched From An Unmanned JLTV. Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies business, and the U.S. Marine Corps successfully demonstrated the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS, off the California coast.
NMESIS combines the NSM anti-ship missile with a Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary (ROGUE) Fires vehicle, produced by Oshkosh Defense
The inaugural test proved the system’s ability to fire a Naval Strike Missile, or NSM, from a U.S. Marine Corps ground launcher and score a direct hit against a surface target at sea.
NSM is a multi-mission cruise missile designed to destroy heavily defended maritime and land targets; it is the U.S. Navy’s over-the-horizon weapon system for littoral combat ships and future frigate
“Our Naval Strike Missile is a vital weapon for denying enemies the use of key maritime terrain. This test further demonstrates our partnership for advancing the Marine Corps’ modernization priorities of enabling sea control and denial operations.” Kim Ernzen, vice president of Naval Power at Raytheon Missiles & Defense
The Marines will use NMESIS to support the U.S. Navy from the shore against enemy ships. NMESIS is comprised of the Raytheon Missiles & Defense-made NSM and a Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary (ROGUE) Fires vehicle, produced by Oshkosh Defense.
NSM is the latest product from a partnership Raytheon Missiles & Defense has with Norway and its defense leader Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. The companies have teamed to bring more than half of NSM production to the U.S. The missile is already in service with Norway’s navy and Poland’s coastal defense squadrons.
Naval News comments: The test mentioned by Raytheon today is likely the same “November 2020 live fire event “ which we first mentioned back in February. A USMC PAO told Naval News at the time that “it was successful in validating certain technologies and capabilities. The only other comment I would add is that the Marine Corps is investing in technologies to ensure we maintain our competitive edge. Ground Based Anti-ship Missile redefines the battlespace for our adversaries and ensures that we maintain our competitive edge.”“
As we reported previously, the USMC selection of Naval Strike Missiles from Raytheon was first announced in May 2019. The image released today confirms that the USMC uses an unmanned variant of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) known as “ROGUE Fires”, as the NSM launch platform. The same vehicles is used for rockets:
Oshkosh defense image showing an unmanned JLTV firing a rocket. The same platform will likely be used by the USMC to launch NSM anti-ship missiles. The launcher capacity appears to be 2x NSM per vehicle. This solution is set to enhance the USMC’s anti-ship capability in support of sea control and sea denial missions.
With the NMESIS and ROGUE Fires, the US Marine Corps is looking at stepping up its Anti-Access / Area Denial (A2/AD) solutions, fielding a number of unmanned launchers which can be easily forward deployed on islands, with the Indo-Pacific zone in mind. The NMESIS (land based) coastal defense batteries, with the Naval Strike Missiles, will add more punch to the US Navy’s anti-ship capabilities.
About Naval Strike Missile (RGM-184A NSM Block 1)
NSM has an operational range of 185 Km (100 nautical miles) and a high subsonic speed. It uses Inertial, GPS and terrain-reference navigation and imaging infrared homing (with a target database aboard the missile).
The NSM is a fifth generation anti-sip missile, produced by Kongsberg and managed in the U.S. by Raytheon. NSM reached Initial Operational Capability on the new Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates and the Norwegian Skjold-class corvettes in 2012. It is also fielded by the Polish Navy (coastal defense batteries) and has been selected by the navies of Malaysia and Germany. NSM was also selected in 2018 as the winner of the U.S. Navy Over-The-Horizon Weapon System (OTH WS) competition and by the USMC in 2019. Its U.S. Navy designation is RGM-184A NSM Block 1. (Source: Google/https://www.navalnews.com/)
27 Apr 21. USS John Finn destroyer launches SM-6 missile at long-range target. The US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG-113) has successfully launched an Extended Range Active Missile (SM-6) missile. The missile was launched off the coast of San Diego on 25 April at the conclusion of the Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem (UxS IBP) 21 exercise. The SM-6 missile hit at a long-range target well beyond the line of sight (BLOS).
UxS IBP 21 lead live-fire planner lieutenant commander Ryan Doyle said: “The missile shoot was definitely challenging but ultimately incredibly rewarding. We were able to see our team’s planning efforts culminate in yesterday’s successful shoot. This entire exercise was a great opportunity to get staff exercise planners, programme designers and most importantly sailors to work together and integrate multiple unmanned capabilities that are tactically relevant in many areas of the world today.”
UxS IBP 21 is a week-long US Pacific Fleet exercise executed by US 3rd Fleet. It involved the participation of surface, subsurface, and aerial unmanned assets, littoral combat ships (LCS), guided-missile destroyers (DDGs), guided-missile cruisers, submarines, as well as helicopter squadrons.
Destroyer Squadron 21 commodore captain T J Zerr said: “The integrated capabilities demonstrated this week are tactically crucial to improve our warfighting advantage.
“Unmanned technologies are being rapidly integrated into the Fleet for use, and our gained advantage is in the integration and collaboration between manned and unmanned capabilities tailored to the particular situation and phase of conflict.”
Last week, the US Navy showcased successful manned-unmanned teaming between an unmanned maritime surveillance aircraft system and other naval platforms. (Source: naval-technology.com)
27 Apr 21. UK Military redesigning body armour to fit female recruits. Ministry of Defence is pushing to make Armed Forces more inclusive of women, who make up 11 per cent of all personnel
The military is redesigning body armour and ejection seats to better accommodate female recruits, MPs have been told.
Baroness Goldie, the minister of state for defence, told the defence sub-committee looking into women in the Armed Forces that trials for combat body armour and a special design of a “prototype” of female tactical vests would begin next month.
She insisted “things are actually happening” to make uniforms more comfortable for women, as she pointed to ballistic hard armour plates, and the “interim solution of a smaller Osprey plate”, which will be introduced at the end of 2022 and “used in conjunction with the female fit scalable tactical vest”.
Meanwhile Maria Byford, chief of staff personnel and air secretary, sighted the work the RAF was doing with female air crew alongside uniforms in order to make aircraft more comfortable for women on flights.
Ms Byford said: “Up until recently, we’ve only used male shapes and sizes in order to design crew equipment. So things like ejection seat design, in-flight urination systems, breathing system designs are now being redesigned, as you say to accommodate the female anatomy.”
She added: “These were absolutely in response to the concerns that were raised by serving servicewomen.”
The Telegraph understands that the Ministry of Defence is engaging with current female fast jet pilots during the development stage of the next generation aircrew equipment. These requirements are directly incorporated into Tempest, but will indirectly flow to other platforms. Areas of specific cross-industry consideration include ejection seat design, in-flight urination, clothing design, breathing system design and G-protection systems.
It comes as part of the Ministry of Defence’s push to make the three forces more inclusive of women, who make up 11 per cent of all armed forces personnel.
Last month The Telegraph revealed that female armed forces personnel serving abroad would no longer need to pack their own sanitary products, having previously had to pack their own supplies prior to being deployed abroad.
Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the defence select committee, said: “On paper, women are able to pursue any career opportunity across the three services but in practice this could not happen as too often military equipment, from body armour to ejection seats, were designed for men.
“Thanks to the introduction of improved and adaptable kit design we can genuinely make good that commitment to see more women given every chance to serve their country in any trade they choose.” (Source: Daily Telegraph)
27 Apr 21. South Korea to develop indigenous attack helicopter for RoKMC. South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on 26 April that the country is planning to develop an indigenous attack helicopter to meet a Republic of Korea Marine Corps (RoKMC) requirement for 20–24 such rotorcraft.
The country’s Defense Project Promotion Committee decided that the development and acquisition project, which has been provisionally budgeted at KRW1.6trn (USD1.44bn), is expected to begin in 2022 and be completed by 2031, according to DAPA.
The aircraft is aimed at enhancing the service’s amphibious assault capabilities, particularly in the north-western islands near the inter-Korean border, by providing aerial fire support, among other things. The helicopter must be compatible for operations alongside the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) MUH-1 Marineon helicopter, which is already in RoKMC service.
No further details were provided. However, the announcement comes after a year-long study by DAPA’s Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ) concluded that procuring a locally developed platform capable of operating from the RoK Navy’s (RoKN’s) amphibious assault ships would be more cost-effective than acquiring a foreign-made one.
Bidding for the programme began in January 2019 with five companies participating: Bell Textron (proposing its AH-1Z Viper), Boeing (AH-64E Apache Guardian), Turkish Aerospace (T-129 ATAK), Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky (S-70i), and KAI Surion Marine Attack Helicopter (MAH). KAI was the only South Korean company in the bidding process.
A scale model of KAI’s Surion MAH was displayed for the first time at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) in October 2019. (Source: Jane’s)
26 Apr 21. Ajax CT40 Trails Update. An MOD Spokesperson comment: Trials continue but the question posed is not something that is recognised. We aren’t aware of any issue(sic: with the AJAX CT40), and we continue with AJAX trials and production.” A GDUK spokesman told BATTLESPACE in reply to our piece last week. (See: BATTLESPACE UPDATE Vol.23 ISSUE 17, Sale of Warrior CT40 cannons likely)
26 Apr 21. PLAGF’s 72nd Group Army conducts live-fire drills with new light 122 mm 6×6 SPH. China’s People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) has conducted a live-fire exercise using its new lightweight 122 mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH), which is being commonly referred to as PCL-171.
Footage released on 23 April by China Central Television’s (CCTV’s) ‘Military Report’ programme shows at least six examples of the SPH, which is based on a modified Dongfeng Mengshi 6×6 CTL181A, being deployed by a light combined arms brigade within the PLAGF’s 72nd Group Army at an undisclosed location in China.
The description provided in the CCTV report makes it clear that the SPH has an automated fire-control system with automatic gun-laying, allowing all SPHs linked to the command vehicle to press a single button to automatically lay their gun onto the target. This functionality makes the system much quicker than towed howitzers, which used manual gun-laying.
The broadcaster also showed the SPHs operating in conjunction with Dongfeng Mengshi CSK181 4×4 armoured vehicles, in at least two variants. The first variant mounted communications equipment and appeared to be configured as command vehicles, controlling a battery of at least six SPHs. The second variant was configured as a counter-battery radar. It was fitted with a radar antenna and an opto-electronic sight mounted on top of a folding and elevating mast. The new SPH is believed to have been handed over to the brigade during the second half of 2020. (Source: Jane’s)
22 Apr 21. An MQ-9 Drone Is Teaming Up with a Navy Warship to Obliterate Targets at Sea. The U.S. Navy is pairing an MQ-9B Sea Guardian drone with a guided-missile cruiser capable of firing anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine missiles as a hunter-killer team in an unprecedented exercise testing new unmanned systems.
The medium-altitude drone is finding targets for the Cruiser Princeton to destroy during the Unmanned Integrated Battle Problem 21 exercise happening off the coast of San Diego this week.
“Using sonobuoys and other assets, the Sea Guardian identified contacts and reported locations remotely to the commander on board the cruiser,” a Wednesday Navy news release announcing the test states. The ship is set to fire on the targets later in the exercise.
“The integration between unmanned and manned capabilities shown today provides an operations approach to strengthening our manned unmanned teaming,” Rear Adm. James Aiken, tactical commander of the unmanned exercise, said in the release. “Putting our newest technology into our Sailors’ hands directly enhances our fleet.”
Aiken told reporters the goal is to conduct live-fire tests in which unmanned and manned systems work together during the demonstration.
“What we’re gonna do is … we’re going to put a missile on a target,” Aiken said during a roundtable discussion ahead of Wednesday’s test. The commander said it would “be an offensive missile, and we’re going to strike a target … well beyond line of sight,” referring to relaying signals or communications beyond transmittable range.
The sea services’ push for funding to test and field unmanned technology — particularly drone surface vessels — has faced significant resistance from Congress.
When the Navy asked for $2bn to build 10 large unmanned surface vessels over the next five years, lawmakers effectively blocked the service from buying any of the ships in 2021 by requiring “a certification regarding technology maturity” before any dollars could be spent.
Aiken said he is aware of resistance from Capitol Hill, but added the drone-to-ship communication concept will give the future Navy “a warfighting advantage.”
The Navy is using seven unmanned technologies, including the Sea Guardian; the MQ-8B Fire Scout; the Vanilla ultra-long endurance, mid-sized drone; underwater and surface autonomous vehicles; and assets from the Naval research lab’s “super swarm” project.
Ten ships are taking part in the exercise, including the Princeton, five guided-missile destroyers, one submarine and two littoral combat ships. The service is also using five manned aircraft, including the EA-18 Growler and P-8 Poseidon.
Aiken said various systems will be teamed up in three different exercise scenarios, but declined to explain the roles of each of the Navy’s assets. The commander did not say exactly how many of each drone type are participating in the exercise.
The Army and Air Force are conducting similar experiments linking weapons and capabilities for better centralized oversight and control. (Source: Military.com)
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Arnold Defense has manufactured more than 1.25 million 2.75-inch rocket launchers since 1961 for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and many NATO customers. They are the world’s largest supplier of rocket launchers for military aircraft, vessels and vehicles. Core products include the 7-round M260 and 19-round M261 commonly used by helicopters; the thermal coated 7-round LAU-68 variants and LAU-61 Digital Rocket Launcher used by the U.S. Navy and Marines; and the 7-round LAU-131 and SUU-25 flare dispenser used by the U.S. Air Force and worldwide.
Today’s rocket launchers now include the ultra-light LWL-12 that weighs just over 60 pounds (27 kg.) empty and the new Fletcher (4) round launcher. Arnold Defense designs and manufactures various rocket launchers that can be customized for any capacity or form factor for platforms in the air, on the ground or even at sea.
Arnold Defense maintains the highest standards of production quality by using extensive testing, calibration and inspection processes.
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