Hydra-70 /APKWS II Going Ahead

[Kirkhill]

A great delivery system - now if only we had some more platforms from which we could launch it.  Currently, AFAIK the only capable platforms in Canadian service are the CF-18s.

The launchers have been mounted on fixed beds for tests and prototypes/operationally on modified 105mm Howitzer carriages (6x19), light attack vehicles, Hummers, trucks, USMC LAVs, light and medium helicopters and UAVs.

...BAE's team eventually won the competition in late April 2006, receiving a two-year, $96.1 million SDD contract, with options for low-rate initial production to begin as early as 2007. Defense Update notes that their design retains the same fuse and warhead section of the standard M151 rocket, adding a mid-section which includes four semi-active laser seekers embedded in the wing roots of forward canards, which are used for flight control. ...

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/04/hydra70-rockets-from-cutbacks-to-the-future-of-warfare/index.php

Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act.

BAE appears to have won the competition because it not only used the existing launcher and motors but also fin assembly (which Raytheon wanted to modify) and all the current and developmental warheads (while Lockheed Martin required a new, single warhead).

Interestingly the same laser homing system is to be used on the 120mm Precision Guided Mortar Munition - but we don't have any 120mm Mortars either.

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

I'd love to see them be test mounted on our LAV-III's for land system evaluation purposes.


Matt.   

 

[Old Sweat]

It's deja vu all over again. My first thought was a flashback to Hueys firing 2.75-in rockets in Vietnam. There is no reason that the system could not be mounted on a variety of ground and air platforms. The question is whether a guided version is really a viable option, given the relatively small warhead, which would possibly be decreased to allow for the guidance package.

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

All information obtained from FAS.org [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/hydra-70.htm]

Just my initial take, but if you mounted twin M260 Light Launcher (7-round capacity) on each shoulder (maximum weight is about 225lbs) to keep the turret balanced, it would certainly provide you with a hell of a lot of stopping power.

You could set-up one M260 with basic HE:

" The M229 HE Warhead is an elongated version of the M151 Warhead and is commonly referred to as the "17 Pounder" warhead. The M229 HE warhead is currently in the inventory. It was designed and developed to increase the lethality and destructiveness of the 10 pound high explosive warhead. The total weight of the loaded, unfuzed warhead is 16.1 pounds (7.3 kg) [other sources report an unfuzed weight of 16.4 pounds] of which 4.8 pounds (2.18 kg) is composite B-4 HE. Upon detonation, the warhead fragments into thousands of small, high velocity, fragments. Temperature limits for storage and firing the M229 are -65 F to +150 F."

and the second M260 with a system that sounds like it's already combat-tested (both hardware and software):

"The M261 High-Explosive Multipurpose Submunition [MPSM] warhead provides improved lethality against light armor, wheeled vehicles, materiel, and personnel. The M261 is a cargo warhead consisting of a nose cone assembly, a warhead case, an integral fuze, nine M73 submunitions, and an expulsion charge assembly. The nose cone assembly, a plastic cone bonded to a metal cup-shaped base, is attached to the body by shear pins. The body is a hollow cylinder loaded with 9 full caliber multipurpose submunitions (MPSM). Each submunition has a Ram Air Decelerator (RAD), folded, which nests into the shaped charge cone of the submunition ahead; the 9th (forward) submunition nests into the forward cup which makes up the base of the nose cone. A metal pusher plate is located just aft of the submunition cargo stack and is forward of the expulsion charge assembly. The threaded end of the body is machined internally to accommodate a base detonating, remote settable, variable range fuze. The 9 High Explosive (HE) submunitions are deployed by initiation of a 5.5 gram expulsion charge, consisting of 80% M10 double base probellant and 20% Class 6 black powder. The expulsion charge is initiated by an M84 electric detonator contained in the M439 fuze. A pusher plate then ejects the stack of submunitions through the nose cone. The primary warhead fuze, M439, is remotely set with the ARCS, MFD, or RMS to provide range settings (time of flight) from 500 meters to approximately 7,000 meters. On the AH-1, the RMS is programmable only from 700 meters to 6,900 meters.

The expulsion charge is initiated at a point before and above the target, approximately 150 meters, depending on the launch angle. The submunitions are separated by ejection, and arming occurs when the ram air declarator deploys. The RAD virtually stops forward velocity and stabilizes the descent of the submunition. An M230 omnidirectional fuze with an M55 detonator is used on each submunition and is designed to function regardless of the impact angle. Each submunition has a steel body that has a 3.2-ounce shaped charge of composition B for armor penetration. The submunition is internally scored to optimize fragments against personnel and materiel. Upon detonation, the shaped charge penetrates in line with its axis and the submunition body explodes into high velocity fragments (approximately 195 at 10 grains each up to 5,000 feet per second) to defeat soft targets. The fuzed weight of the M261 is 13.6 pounds. At shorter ranges, the RAD takes longer to overcome momentum, increasing dispersion. As range increases, the rocket loses momentum, increasing the effectiveness of the RAD. This increased effectiveness reduces submunition drift and ground dispersion. Forestation, other vegetation, and natural or man-made structures within the target area may cause the submunition to detonate or land in a non-standard dispersion pattern. Aerodynamic forces affecting submunitions during vertical descent may prevent them from landing upright (0 degrees off center). Sixty-six percent of the time a submunition will land 5 degrees off center; 33 percent of the time a submunition will land 30 degrees off center. Each M73 HE submunition has a shaped charge that can penetrate in excess of 4 inches of armor. A submunition that lands 5 degrees off center has a 90-percent probability of producing casualties against prone, exposed personnel, within a 20-meter radius. A submunition landing 30 degrees off center has a 90-percent probability of producing casualties within a 5 meter radius. "

In short, if you could mount both launchers adding under 625 lbs including additional targeting components, theoretically (and I should use that word more often with my limited experience) it could certainly make for some very ugly days for the bad guys....



Matthew. 

 

[Kirkhill]

Old Sweat:

As far as I can gather that is the reason that the BAE solution has been selected: because it doesn't require changes to the warheads.  They screw the warhead onto a midbody section with all the sensors, moving fins and electronics, then screw that onto the motor and that onto the tailfin.  The extra weight might result in a range drop but the effectiveness of the round doesn't seem likely to be impacted (sorry   ) in fact the increased accuracy would not only make it more employable it would make it more effective.  This would be particularly true when employed with some of the developmental warheads such as the thermo-baric types alluded to in the article and its links.

The Lockheed Martin solution required a new warhead and they were trying to prove that they could make one warhead, including guidance, as effective as the full range of existing warheads.  A pretty high mountain to climb apparently.

AFAIK the intent of this vehicle is to carry enough destructive energy to destroy trucks, light vehicles, buildings and light fortifications at relatively low cost and keep Hellfires and other pricey solutions for Tanks and heavier fortifications.  Also, you will probably know this better than me, but if I remember correctly from an article I read years ago the destructive energy of a single 2.75/70 with the heavy HE warhead was equivalent to a direct hit from a 105mm HE round from a C1/C3 howitzer.

 

[Old Sweat]

Kirkhill

Your points are well made and I may be showing my years. The devil is in the details and I wonder if this is an arrow that would fit easily in a Canadian battle group's quiver. That may well be the case and I can see scenarios where it would fit. At the same time, I wonder if it is a solution looking for a (Canadian) problem.

Re the destructive effect of the rocket, that could be. Destruction depends upon a variety of factors including what kind of target is being attacked, the amount of explosive in the wahead, the velocity, number and size of the fragments and the fragmentation pattern itself.

 

[Kirkhill]

At the same time, I wonder if it is a solution looking for a (Canadian) problem.

Agreed Sir.  On the other hand we appear to have many problems and this is  MIGHT BE a fairly reasonably priced and very flexible "solution" to any number of them.

Cheers.

Edited due to personal lack of experience to be able to state ANYTHING definitively. 

 

[Kirkhill]

Further to Matt's idea, and given that the USMC LAV-25 has already been trialled in that configuration (one launcher at least), given also the wide variety of warheads and potential for direct, indirect and anti-aircraft capability (with flechette) would this be useful for a LAV-III Troop/Platoon?  4 vehicles with 2x7 rounds would supply the Troop Commander with 56 ready rounds (roughly equivalent to 105s?) with room to carry more under armour and reload in the field.

Loaded weight for each launcher according to the same source that you quoted Matt, is about 300 lbs per launcher. Not helpful to centre of gravity problems but perhaps that could be offset be storing reloads low in the vehicle?

 

[GAP]

Great idea!

How does this fare in light of IED's? Would case / assembly be armoured?

 

[Kirkhill]

Better question 

I have no idea of the impact of Heat/Blast on a rocket with 2 kg of Comp B attached.  Fairly sure I wouldn't want to be riding the turret when the answer was found.

 

[Loachman]

Destructive power? The similar but unguided CRV-7 (Canadian Rocket Vehicle 7) was around for several years with only a solid penetrator. It could easily pierce a hardened aircraft shelter and do enough damage inside. The reason for just a solid penetrator? They could not devise a fuse that would initiate an HE charge quickly enough before it was destroyed by the impact - it was/is a very fast rocket.

A variety of warheads were subsequently developed, including a number of flechette warheads in assorted sizes.

 

[Kirkhill]

Loachman:

Would it have similar effect launched from a stationary platform at ground level?  Or does it benefit a lot from the airspeed of the aircraft and gravity?