WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — According to Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation, Air to Ground Weapons, Lt. Col. Ryan Schiller, a dumb rocket was turned into a "laser guided, penetrating missile that’s now being used in Iraq and Syria."
"The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) with M282 penetrating warhead can penetrate 40 inches of concrete, 1 inch of steel and creates 2,000 [degree] Fahrenheit temperature on explosion."
APKWS was first used by the Viper on January 16 and subsequently by the Harriers in April 2016, Schiller said. The US Air Force and Army are equipping their aircraft with the system.
The US Army had a need for an inexpensive, lightweight over-the-horizon reconnaissance drone. It contracted with AeroVironment for the Switchblade.
"The Switchblade is designed for use at the company level of a Brigade Combat Team," Headquarters US Army, Deputy Chief of Staff Office Kenneth Britt said. "A single Switchblade launched from a canister has been used in the field and now we are seeking a six-pack of Switchblades that can launch six of them."
The Switchblade is a back-pack transported miniature flying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance drone for package beyond line-of-sight target acquisition.
Schiller and Britt made their remarks at the Precision Strike Association conference in Washington, DC.
