Swedish army to buy BONUS ammunition from BAE

Nov. 3 (UPI) -- A new contract awarded to BAE Systems calls for the delivery of 254 additional Bofors 155mm BONUS artillery rounds for the Swedish army, the company announced on Thursday.

The additional artillery rounds are expected to strengthen Sweden's operational capabilities for its long range, indirect fire Archer artillery weapon systems.

The Bofors 155mm BONUS artillery rounds are capable of detecting and striking heavily armored vehicles at a range slightly over 21 miles.

When launched from any 155-millimeter artillery system, the BONUS carrier shell separates to deploy two sensor-fuzed munitions that then search for targets within a given footprint of up to 32,000 square meters.

Each of the two expelled munitions independently seeks and neutralizes its own target. The army has used this smart munition since 2003.

"Because each BONUS shell carries two smart munitions, its mission success per round is far greater than with traditional ammunition, providing the Swedish army with clear advantages," Lena Gillström, managing director for BAE Systems' Weapon Systems business in Sweden, said in a press release. "This order is part of a growing interest in BONUS around the globe and indicative of the system's reliability and success factor."

Production on the contract will take place at BAE Systems' facility in Karlskoga, Sweden, and delivery is scheduled for sometime in 2019.