BAE awarded $1.7B to convert rockets into guided munitions

BAE Systems has secured a $1.7 billion contract to deliver as many as 55,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II conversion kits for the Navy, Army and foreign military sales customers, according to a Pentagon contract announcement.

The APKWS II is a design conversion that outfits the unguided Hydra 2.75-inch rocket system with a laser guidance kit, turning it into a precision-guided weapon. The upgraded system is intended to serve as a low-cost means of destroying targets while limiting collateral damage in close combat.

The APKWS II upgrade, which began production in 2011, is used on a variety of aviation platforms including the AH-1W Super Cobra, UH-1Y Venom, MH-60 Seahawk and AH-64 Apache helicopters as well as the AV-8B Harrier II, F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft.

This latest award covers full-rate production lots 13-17, with work expected to conclude in December 2031, according to the announcement.