The Navy has successfully tested four rocket propelled munitions that are planned for deployment on a new class of destroyers, the service said last week.
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| Rendering by BAE Systems |
The Long Range Land Attack Projectiles (LRLAPs) were tested at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in June. The four projectiles struck their targets 45 miles from the launch site. The tests involved launching, GPS acquisition, navigation and guidance, height of burst fuzing, accuracy and warhead function, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) said.
“This test not only successfully demonstrated the LRLAP capability, which is pretty substantial with respect to accuracy, but also built on the successes of previous tests toward the demonstration of a reliable gun-launch land attack projectile,” Capt. Mike Ladner, NAVSEA’s major program manager for surface ship weapons.
LRLAP is a 155mm munition designed for launch from the new Advanced Gun System that will operate on the Zumwalt-class (DDG-1000) destroyers. BAE Systems is the prime contractor for the LRLAPs being tested in the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the program.
“This is going to be a great capability for the fleet. We’re looking forward to completing the qualification and working to integrate this capability aboard the DDG-1000,” Ladner said.
The Navy is building three DDG-1000s, with the first scheduled to deliver in 2014. General Dynamics [GD] Bath Iron Works and Huntington Ingalls Industries [HII] are building the hulls and deckhouses.