Lockheed Martin has successfully completed the first in a series of four Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) warhead arena tests. These tests provide data to demonstrate the lethality of Lockheed Martin's integrated APKWS II rocket design by characterizing the performance of the integrated M151 warhead against a variety of targets.

Lockheed Martin is competing to provide a new 2.75-inch guided rocket that will enable U.S. Army Apache and U.S. Marine Corps Cobra attack helicopters and other platforms to precisely engage non-armored targets with minimal collateral damage. The government is expected to announce the winner of the competition in mid- to late April.

"Our APKWS II design integrates innovative technologies from fielded, combat-proven systems with the newest, low-cost technologies," said Steve Barnoske, director - Tactical Missiles at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This test is part of an extensive risk reduction program to ensure the system is mature, for a low-risk entry into system design and development (SDD)."

The warhead is supplied by General Dynamics Armament and Technical Programs. The heritage multi-target warhead and fuze -- an off-the- shelf Hydra 70 M151 warhead and M423 impact sensor fuze -- applies cutting- edge technology to provide diverse mission, multi-target capability for APKWS II.

Part of Lockheed Martin's company-funded pre-contract risk reduction efforts, the arena tests are being performed at the Redstone Arsenal Technical Test Center (RTTC) in Huntsville, AL. The tests measure the quantity, distribution, velocity and mass of the high-velocity steel fragments produced by detonation of the APKWS II warhead. Measured data is then used to calculate the lethality of the rocket system against U.S. Army-specified targets.

Lockheed Martin previously announced a successful guided test flight of the APKWS II rocket, two successful APKWS II ballistic test vehicle (BTV) flights, as well as wind tunnel tests, hardware-in-the-loop testing, seeker tests, warhead fuze tests and component-level testing that dates back to mid- 2005.

Lockheed Martin's industry team for APKWS II includes HR Textron, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron, Inc. , Santa Clarita, CA, which will supply the control actuation system; Honeywell D&S , Minneapolis, MN, the inertial sensor assembly (ISA); EaglePicher, Joplin, MO, the thermal battery; and ITT Power Solutions , West Springfield, MA, (formerly K and M Electronics), the power supply.

The APKWS II is a 2.75-inch laser-guided rocket that will provide crews of the U.S. Army Apache and Marine Corps Cobra attack helicopters and other platforms with precision-strike capability against non-armored targets that do not require a 7-inch HELLFIRE(R) missile -- an option not presently available. This low-cost alternative will destroy low-value but dangerous targets that are close to civilian assets and/or friendly forces.

Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 90,000 laser-guided munitions to the warfighter, and in total has produced more than 135,000 laser-guided systems, including HELLFIRE, Copperhead, Paveway II Laser Guided Bombs and Laser Guided Training Rounds. Lockheed Martin has over 30 years of experience and investment in precision semi-active laser technology.

Lockheed Martin plans to produce the APKWS II seeker at its plant in Ocala, FL, with final rocket assembly at its facility in Troy, AL. The control actuation system will be produced at HR Textron's plant in Santa Clarita, CA; the inertial sensor assembly, at Honeywell's facility in Minneapolis, MN.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin