BOTHELL, Wash., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- General
Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, a business unit of General
Dynamics (NYSE: GD), and BAE Systems (LSE: BA) have successfully
demonstrated a tactical version of their 81mm Roll Control Guided
Mortar (RCGM) at Yuma Proving Grounds,
Ariz., in January.
Sixteen rounds were tested in total, all of which guided to
within an average miss distance of approximately seven meters from
the target at ranges from 980 meters to 4,000 meters.
The testing was conducted under a Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Armament Research
Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), Picatinny Arsenal,
N.J.
The tactical configuration of the RCGM used the current UK L41
high explosive mortar round and a six-increment propulsion charge
system produced by BAE Systems. The guidance package developed by
General Dynamics consists of a GPS receiver, standard M734A1
multi-option fuze components, and the company's patented
Roll-Controlled Fixed Canard (RCFC) control system.
Daniel Paul, vice president and
general manager of Precision Systems for General Dynamics Ordnance
and Tactical Systems, said: "Our partnership with BAE Systems has
resulted in the near flawless development and demonstration of an
81mm precision mortar. This success is the result of a great
team including the U.S. Army ARDEC and Yuma Proving Grounds test community. The
telemetry and high-speed video coverage from the tests demonstrate,
without a question, the maturity and capability of our 81mm
RCGM. We are now in a position to offer the U.S., UK and
other allies an affordable guided 81mm precision mortar capability
in the very near term."
"The BAE Systems 81mm mortar system is in service with more than
40 countries worldwide, including the U.S. and UK, so we see a
large potential market for this low-cost precision round which can
be fired from our mortar tube without any modification," said
Ian Anderton, managing director of
BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Munitions.
See the 81mm RCGM at AUSA Winter Symposium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Booth #1823.
For more information about General Dynamics Ordnance and
Tactical Systems, please visit www.gd-ots.com.
For more information about BAE Systems Global Combat Systems
Munitions go to
http://www.baesystems.com/Capabilities/Land/Munitions/index.htm
SOURCE General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems