Affordable Weapon System

The Affordable Weapon System is a US Navy program to design and produce a low cost "off the shelf" cruise missile launchable from a self-contained unit mounted in a standard shipping container.

The need for the US Army to mass-manufacture more affordable, low overhead weapons became a pressing matter during the 1970s, a decade when costs to operate and support an armed inventory grew rapidly and consequently reduced budgets for new weapons acquisitions.[1] The US weapons inventory is the most advanced in the world, but its volume is deemed insufficient in a theoretical war against China for example (especially the long-range precision-guided weaponry). To that effect, BAE Systems had developed a kit (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System) to convert Hydra rockets into smart, precision-guided ammo.[2]

Specifications

  • Length: (w/o booster): 3.32 m (10 ft 11 in) [3]
  • Diameter: 34.3 cm (13.5 in)
  • Weight: 394 kg (737 lb)
  • Speed: 400 km/h (250 mph)
  • Ceiling: 4570 m (15000 ft)
  • Range: > 1560 km (840 nm)
  • Propulsion: Solid rocket booster and SWB Turbines SWB-65 turbojet sustainer.
  • Payload: 200 lbs.[4]
  • Guidance: GPS and in-flight datalink.

Program status

  • April 2002 - International Systems LLC of San Diego, Calif. (subsidiary of Titan Corp.) awarded a $25,657,312 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for continuing development and implementation.[5]
  • June 2005 - Titan awarded a $32.4 million contract modification to produce approximately 85 missiles for demonstration, test and evaluation. The contract also includes work for the AWS launcher design and ship integration.[6][7]
  • September 2005 - Titan awards contract for launch systems to BAE Systems.[8]
  • 2007 - Duncan L. Hunter pushed a 30 million dollars budget in the yearly defense appropriations bill to continue the development of AWS, despite inconclusive 2006 tryouts.[9]
  • July 2008 - DOD Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation budget earmarks $15,200,000 for program.
  • November 2008 - MBDA Incorporated is awarded a $4,530,231 contract for research into the best material approach and the completion of risk reduction tasks for the AWS.[10]

References

  1. ^ Belvoir, Virginia (1977). "Acquiring Affordable Weapons Systems" (PDF). Dtic.mil. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  2. ^ Thompson, Loren. "Urgent Military Need For 'Affordable Mass' Can't Wait For A New Generation Of Smart Munitions". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  3. ^ "ONR/Titan Affordable Weapon - Designation Systems".
  4. ^ "AFFORDABLE WEAPON SYSTEM (AWS)".
  5. ^ "Defense Links contracts".
  6. ^ "U.S. Navy Awards Titan $32.4 Million Affordable Weapon System Contract". Archived from the original on 2005-11-22.
  7. ^ "Titan Wins US Navy Affordable Weapons Deal (Jun 8)". Defense aerospace. 2005-06-06. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  8. ^ "BAE SYSTEMS To Build Launching Systems for Titan's Affordable Weapon System".
  9. ^ Shachtman, Noah. "Hunter's Folly 2: Misfiring Missile". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  10. ^ "MBDA wins Affordable Weapon System Contract". 24 November 2008.


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