Ryland S. Barlow details the US solution to the requirement for a low-cost, highly accurate 2.75in rocket with stand-off range strike capability		The mother of invention
			Army aviation has a requirement for a small, low-cost advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS) to fill the gap between the unguided 2.75in rocket system and the Hellfire anti-armour missile. The requirement is documented in a mission-need statement for APKWS, approved in February 1996. The APKWS operational requirements document (ORD) is in TRADOC headquarters for approval. The low-cost APKWS need was realised during investigations of Desert Storm that revealed a large number of Hellfire firings were made against non-tank point targets that could have been killed by a smaller weapon. Recent military operations in urbanised terrain (MOUT) activities in Panama, Somalia and Haiti also dictated the need for an air-to-ground LCPK weapon system, smaller and less costly than Hellfire, to increase stowed kills of non-tank targets such as selected personnel, air defences, small watercraft, MOUT targets and lightly armoured vehicles with point target accuracy and with minimum collateral damage. The goal of the programme is to develop, demonstrate and integrate onto the AH-64D Longbow Apache a low-cost, accurate 2.75in guided rocket that provides a stand-off range surgical strike capability against specified soft point targets, addressing the APKWS needs. The Sikorsky armed S-70A helicopter fires the 2.75in rocket Reflected laser energy The technology demonstrated for the LCPK 2.75in guided rocket will include small, low-cost solid-state semi-active laser (SAL) seekers to acquire reflected laser energy; canard or thruster controllers to provide aerodynamic control authority; small, low-cost, off-the-shelf inertial devices to provide inertial information for rocket control and an innovative de-roll coupling device to provide some roll isolation from the highly rolling free rocket. The guidance package will be a direct screw-on to the current inventory Hydra-70 rocket motor, warhead and fuse. The operational characteristics to be demonstrated are as follows: The SAL guided 2.75in rocket will be launched like a free rocket, the target would be tracked and lasered like a Hellfire mission, the guided rocket would lock on after launch similar to a miniature Copperhead, and a terminal homing phase utilising proportional navigation would produce precision accuracy for a high single-shot kill. A complete 2.75in guided round for transition into engineering and manufacturing development will be fully developed and demonstrated. Description The LCPK ATD, performed jointly by the missile-guidance directorate and aviation-applied technology directorate elements of the US Army aviation and missile command’s (AMCOM) aviation and missile research, development and engineering centre (AMRDEC) at Redstone Arsenal, will demonstrate a low-cost (less than $10k), accurate (approximately $1m CEP) 2.75in guided rocket that provides a stand-off range (6km) and surgical strike capability against specified soft point targets. Utilising a small, strap-down laser seeker, off-the-shelf inertial devices and a low-cost control mechanisation, a high single-shot probability of kill will be achieved, reducing the cost-per-kill rate between two and four times, minimising collateral damage and increasing the number of stowed kills between four and 20 times. The 2.75in guided rocket is the result of the programme to develop a low-cost precision kill rocket for the AH-64 Longbow Apache helicopter Time frame By the end of FY99 a stable airframe with 90 per cent reduction in guidance section spin rates was demonstrated via wind tunnel and ballistic flights. By the end of FY00 ten times the reduction in 2.75in rocket dispersion will be demonstrated via control test vehicle flights. By the end of FY01 approximately 1m CEP accuracy will be demonstrated via guided-test vehicle flights from ground launch, guided-rocket performance specs will be documented and AH-64 aircraft integration completed. By end of FY02, guided-test vehicle flights from the AH-64D aircraft will be completed. By the end of FY03, user tests will be completed and aircraft performance specs documented. The primary emphasis in the LCPK ATD is to demonstrate a 2.75in guided rocket utilising technology capable of providing a high single- shot probability of hit (Ph = 0.8), over an effective range, for a projected low per-unit production cost that will be compatible with a number of army aircraft with minor modifications and will require no maintenance. Key parameters associated with proper assessment of successful ATD accomplishments are presented in the table below. Military significance Army aviation will reap great benefit in all operations by arming aircraft with the lightweight precision-targeting capability offered by the LCPK 2.75in guided rocket solution to their APKWS requirement. The smaller warhead of the LCPK greatly reduces collateral damage while providing sufficient lethality to destroy non-tank point targets. Its light weight allows aircraft to increase station time, maintain manoeuvrability and decreases overall maintenance demand. The LCPK stand-off range and precision strike capability greatly increases platform combat effectiveness, lethality, and survivability. ©