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NASHUA, N.H., June 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force is fielding BAE Systems' Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System laser-guided rockets for ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Air Force's initial units are deployed to fulfill an urgent operational need for F-16 and A-10 aircraft, BAE Systems said.
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Similar to the acquisition of the system by the Army, the Air Force is acquiring its initial supply of rockets from current Navy inventory and is working with BAE Systems and the Navy to secure additional units to meet ongoing demands.
The APKWS system is a mid-body guidance kit that transforms a standard unguided munition into a precision laser-guided rocket. It has been used by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps since 2012. The Army uses it on Apache helicopters.
"The APKWS rocket's innovative 'plug and play' design makes it possible to deploy these systems on a variety of platforms," said David Harrold, director of Precision Guidance Solutions at BAE Systems. "The Navy and Air Force deserve immense credit for streamlining the acquisition process by leveraging an existing Navy program of record to meet the needs of all our military services.
"We are confident that the addition of this highly accurate, low-collateral-damage weapon system will be a game-changer for F-16 and A-10 users in the U.S. Air Force and around the world."
