Apr 5 2010
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems has directed an 81 mm Air-Dropped Guided Mortar (ADM) onto a stationary ground target successfully.
During the guide-to-target flight experiments performed at Ft. Sill, Okla., the ADM was released from the Tactical-Class Unmanned Aircraft (TUAV). The results from these flight tests were built based on earlier demonstrations conducted successfully on 81 mm ADG guide-to-target system in Kingman, Ariz during December 2008.
The release of the ADM from the aircraft was rendered possible by utilizing General Dynamics’ recently created ‘Smart Rack’ carriage and release system. This system will be able to weaponize any TUAV platform.
The ADM is designed to provide a swift target response capability to the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Special Forces. This ADM utilizes the current mortar inventory for provision of a lightweight and low-cost weapon system that has proven energetics capabilities. General Dynamics’ Roll Controlled Fixed Canard (RCFC) guidance kit incorporates an advanced flight-control and GPS-enabled guidance and navigational system, and improves precision strike capabilities of present mortars. This patented nose-mounted kit replaces the current mortar fuzes. This kit was demonstrated successfully on multiple mortar calibers for tube launch and air drop operations. The kit offers an integrated weapon system and also functions as a multiplatform along with common Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) for unmanned aircraft.
The tube-launched application, a low-cost guidance approach, was demonstrated in a tactical 120 mm guided mortar configuration at the Yuma Proving Ground. This configuration is called the Roll Controlled Guided Mortar (RCGM). An existing warhead along with the M934A1 fuze is used in the 120 mm RCGM that was launched by the tube.
General Dynamics and the Picatinny Arsenal, N.J.-based U.S. Army's Armament Research Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) had jointly developed and tested the RCFC technology application for the 81 mm ADM. environmental sensors for the fuzing system of the guidance kit.
Source: http://www.gd-ots.com