Not just for aircraft anymore: This laser guided rocket kit can be mounted for ground defense

The U.S. military has been investing heavily in 2.75-inch precision laser guided rockets that are traditionally mounted on fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

But now, BAE’s Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System can be fired from ground-based stations mounted on vehicles or static remote outposts for base defense.

The Fletcher precision strike rocket launcher, made by Arnold Defense, fires BAE’s laser guided 2.75 inch rockets from a ground based launcher.

Arnold Defense makes the majority of the launchers for the U.S. military’s 2.75 inch rockets and those have primarily been armed on fixed and rotary wing aircraft, according to Scott Amos, a program manager for BAE.

“They’ve [Arnold Defense] redesigned that technology into a ground-based launcher system,” Amos said.

The Fletcher system has a range of about five kilometers, according to Amos.

Multiple services have already expressed interest in the new ground launcher, Amos said.

This year, the Fletcher launcher went through a proof of concept demonstration where the system was tested from a stationary platform, Amos said.

The Fletcher system was showcased mounted on an Oskkosh S-ATV at the Special Operations Exposition in May.

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