Army Fast-Tracks Targeting Weapons Systems: Hypersonics, Reaper Drones & Lasers

Related Video Above: Hypersonics

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

Programmable air-burst fuses, point detonation missiles, fragmenting warheads and high-speed kinetic energy rounds can all quickly exact lethal consequences on the battlefield, yet these effects of course rely upon the range, precision accuracy, guidance and long-range fidelity of sensors and targeting systems.

Newer projectiles such as hypersonic weapons and advanced air-dropped and air-to-air weapons of course need to function effectively in a highly contested, high-threat environment where guidance systems will be jammed, RF signals might be interrupted and communications networks might be rendered ineffective by various enemy tactics.

Confronting these new, emerging and uniquely modern threats, intended to deny access or an ability to attack, is precisely why the Army is now embarking upon a number of fast-tracked efforts to improve targeting and sensing so that weapons can achieve the desired effect. One of these efforts can be found in a recent technology development deal between the U.S. Army and General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems to advance sensing and targeting technologies to a new level.

Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

It’s called a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between industry and Army experts to explore the realm of the possible regarding advanced sensing technologies such as infrared seekers, high-resolution electro-optical infrared cameras and Laser Detection and Ranging system to support long-range precision fires. 

While many of the details or specifics of the deal are not likely to be available for security reasons, a statement from GA-EMS does say it will explore possibilities with precision munitions, hypersonics, lasers and other kinds of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance technologies.