DAGR rocket guidance kit passes tests

ORLANDO, Fla., March 3 (UPI) -- U.S. company Lockheed Martin says its DAGR laser guidance kit for air-to-ground rockets has passed three tests.

Lockheed Martin said in a statement last week that it had "recently completed three successful tests of the DAGR semi-active laser guidance DAGR dance kit for 2.75-inch/70mm rockets -- two guided flight tests and a multi-purpose sled test -- demonstrating the system's precision-strike accuracy, off-axis capability and delayed fuzing mode."

"DAGR is now 6-for-6 in control vehicle and guided test vehicle flights, beginning in February 2006," the company said.

"The DAGR guidance kit adapts to rockets such as the Hydra 70 and CRV-7, with high explosive and blast fragmentation warheads, to provide guided-rocket performance comparable to that of the precision-strike laser-guided Hellfire II missile, and can be launched from both the M299 and M310 'smart' launchers," Lockheed Martin said.

"Both guided test flights, conducted in January at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., were launched from the all-digital M299 launcher. DAGR-equipped rockets were fired from Lockheed Martin's four-pack launch canister, which is capable of firing through the rocket management system or the Hellfire interface. The first DAGR-equipped rocket in this test event was shot from a range of 4.2 km and 6 degrees off boresight; the second shot, from a range of 5.1 km. Both test shots were direct hits, impacting the target within inches of the laser spot," Lockheed Martin said.

"The sled test was performed in December 2007 at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., and demonstrated DAGR's delayed fuzing mode and ability to penetrate a vehicle. Previous DAGR sled tests validated delayed fuzing against structures, and warhead arena tests validated the guidance kit's blast fragmentation capability," the company said.

"Each test event proves DAGR's ability to provide war fighters the guided-rocket capability they need to defeat emerging threats encountered in urban combat scenarios," said Rick Edwards, vice president of Tactical Missiles at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

"DAGR's off-axis capability increases the engagement envelope, providing additional field of view for angle of attack and moving targets, allowing pilots to quickly address multiple threats," Lockheed Martin said.