BAE Systems Wins $1.7B U.S. Navy Order for APKWS

Graphic depiction of an F-15 launching a rocket with laser guidance enhancement enabled with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser-guidance kit | Image: BAE Systems

The U.S. Navy has awarded BAE Systems a new five-year contract for the continued production of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser-guidance kits, with a maximum value of $1.7 billion. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity agreement includes an initial order worth $322 million and allows the navy to procure tens of thousands of additional guidance kits over the contract period.

The APKWS guidance kit is used to convert standard 2.75-inch unguided rockets into laser-guided precision munitions. The system is available for use by all branches of the U.S. armed forces and can also be supplied to allied nations through Foreign Military Sales (FMS). According to the company, the kits are already in operational use across a range of mission profiles, including air-to-surface, surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and air-to-air engagements.

“This award reinforces the value of proven and cost-efficient precision munitions, which have consistently demonstrated their effectiveness and versatility across multiple platforms and missions,” said Neeta Jayaraman, director of Precision Guidance and Sensing Solutions at BAE Systems. “The APKWS guidance kit provides advanced capabilities to our armed forces and foreign allies, and high-volume production ensures rapid and efficient delivery to the warfighter.”

The system can be fired from a wide variety of platforms, including fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based launchers and maritime vessels. It is designed to engage stationary and moving targets while limiting collateral damage. The guidance kit is compatible with existing rocket motors, warheads and fuzes, allowing users to upgrade current inventories without major changes.

BAE Systems has produced APKWS guidance kits at full-rate production for more than 12 years. Manufacturing takes place at the company’s facilities in Hudson, New Hampshire, and Austin, Texas.