May 25, 2021
Laser-Guided Rockets: The U.S. Navy's New Super Weapon?
Arming a ship-launched unmanned aircraft with these weapons introduces new forward attack possibilities in maritime warfare.
by Kris Osborn
The Navy has armed its helicopter-like, vertical take-off-and-landing MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned aircraft with laser-guided rockets to bring new attack possibilities, extend offensive strike range and improve ship-based command and control for maritime warfare.
The Fire Scout, now deployed on Navy Frigates and Littoral Combat Ships, has test-fired hydra 70 2.75-inch laser-guided rockets—a precision weapon able to pinpoint enemy ships, drones or even submarines close to the surface. Long fired from helicopters, the Advanced Precision Kill Weapons Systems folding-fin 2.75 rockets offer a precision-strike ability smaller than an air-launched Hellfire missile yet still lethal enough to have a substantial impact.
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