BAE Systems will develop an interim all-quadrant defensive weapon system for the Air Force’s CV-22 Osprey aircraft, the company reported.
The $491,000 contract awarded earlier this month by the U.S. Special Operations Command calls for rapid development, installation, testing, and qualification of a weapon capability that provides defensive fire protection to all quadrants of the aircraft. The contract has a potential value of $16.3 million, according to BAE.
The belly-mounted system is remotely operated and capable of delivering accurate, sustained fire throughout the CV-22’s flight envelope.
The weapon system is based on the company’s Remote Guardian System, an internally-funded effort to develop a common airborne defensive capability. BAE has been investing in the RGS for more than two years and unveiled the system in October 2007 at the Modern Day Marine military exposition in Quantico, Va.
RGS is designed to be belly mounted on the Bell Helicopter Textron [TXT]-Boeing [BA] V-22. RGS is a turreted weapon system that consists of a turreted sensor and turreted Gatling gun (Defense Daily, Oct. 5).
RGS will use the Marine Corps’ GAU 17, 7.62 mm mini-gun and the Air Force Special Operations Command’s (AFSOC) GAU 2.
BAE is also looking at a 50 caliber design and more advanced sensors for RGS (Defense Daily, Oct. 5).