BAE Robot Strikes Ground Target with Laser-Guided Rocket

June 30, 2022

BAE Systems has announced that its Robotic Technology Demonstrator (RTD) successfully fired laser-guided rockets at multiple ground targets, with a human decision in the loop, during a recent U.S. Army tactical scenario at the Dugway Proving Ground in Falls Church, Va. The test marked the first time an APKWS laser-guided rocket has ever been fired from a robotic combat vehicle, the company said.

The autonomous RTD meets the Army’s needs for a RCV medium solution, BAE said. Capable of performing multiple missions, the RTD incorporates a hybrid electric drive and can be equipped with advanced payloads, including electronic warfare sensors, various gun systems, anti-tank guided missiles, and 2.75-inch rockets through BAE’s APKWS laser-guidance kit. The company said it can also be fitted with loitering munitions to defeat armored and unmanned aerial threats.

“Over the past year, we’ve partnered with leading technology companies to build an autonomous vehicle that will exceed the Army’s RCV medium requirements,” said Helen Park, director of Future Tech Works at BAE Systems. “This successful demonstration proves that our unmanned vehicle can be integrated and updated with cutting-edge technology, payloads, and weapon systems to support multiple mission sets and deliver advanced capability in a multi-domain operational environment.”

Ground-launched APKWS rockets give mounted units a capability to engage ground targets and UAVs at ranges up to six kilometers, BAE said. This gives militaries a cost-effective solution for precision strike with greater range than small arms fire and without the need for air support, it added.

Future Tech Works (FTX) is a new group within BAE Systems that works with engineering experts and customers to identify, develop, and test solutions for the defense needs of the future. FTX said it reimagines the battlefield to modernize and deliver technologies to keep service members safer, more agile, and ready to tackle any threat. Continued work on the program is taking place in Sterling Heights, Mich.

For more details on the technology, visit the BAE Systems website here.