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2017-06-08

Orbital ATK puts the spotlight on defence products and capabilities

Orbital ATK recently displayed a wide range of the company’s defence products and advanced capabilities as an exhibitor during the 2017 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC). The exhibition is focused on advancing defence technology solutions and building the global special operations force alliance.

Key products featured at the Orbital ATK booth include the fielded AC-235 Light Gunship that can provide sustained and precise firepower in a variety of scenarios. Also featured was the highly successful AC-208B Armed Caravan aircraft that provides a strike capability using Hellfire missiles, complemented with a robust suite of sensors and communications equipment for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Orbital ATK also highlighted its portfolio of aircraft self-protection equipment that protects crews during combat missions. Products include the ShotFinder Acoustic Hostile Fire Detection System that identifies and directionally locates small-arms fire, anti-aircraft artillery and rocket-propelled grenade threats; and the combat-proven AAR-47 Missile and Laser Warning System with Hostile Fire Indication electronic warfare system that protects helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft from surface-to-air threats.

Furthermore, the company displayed its precision guidance technologies for indirect and direct fired weapons, including the Hatchet miniature precision glide weapon, and its Bushmaster line of Chain Guns and automatic cannons that support 7.62mm, 25mm, 30mm and 40mm applications for air, land and sea weapons station platform integration.

AC-235 Light Gunship

This special-mission aircraft integrates intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors, fire-control equipment, and an LW30 mm link-fed gun system. These capabilities are controlled by the company’s STAR Mission System, which provides both day-and-night reconnaissance and fire-control capabilities, and the ability to acquire, monitor and track items of interest. The AC-235 light gunship provides an affordable, enhanced capability to conduct responsive defence, counterinsurgency, and border surveillance and security missions on customer-preferred platforms.

AC-208B Armed Caravan

The highly-successful AC-208B Armed Caravan aircraft provides strike capability using Hellfire missiles, complemented with a robust suite of sensors and communications equipment for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It offers robust day/night intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance solution available with precision counter-insurgency, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities (ISR). It is easily convertible from “Clean Wing” ISR to armed operation with Hellfire Missiles. Plus, own ship targeting and weapons employment is provided via integrated targeting and fire control systems. Off-board data links also provide full-motion video to ground stations or other aircraft.

ShotFinder Acoustic Hostile Fire Detection System

The ShotFinder Acoustic Hostile Fire Detection System, was another product displayed by Orbital ATK, which identifies and directionally locates small-arms fire, anti-aircraft artillery and rocket-propelled grenade threats. It provides detection of small calibre ball and tracer rounds, anti-aircraft artillery, unguided rockets, and rocket propelled grenades. The system is lightweight and easy to install and has multiple display options. The acoustic sensor can be used as a stand-alone Hostile Fire detection system or in conjunction with other Threat Warning Systems to provide a complete threat awareness capability.

AAR-47 Missile and Laser Warning System

The combat-proven AAR-47 Missile and Laser Warning System with Hostile Fire Indication electronic warfare system that protects helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft from surface-to-air threats, was also on display. It is an electronic warfare system designed to protect aircraft against infrared-guided (IR) missile threats, laser-guided/laser-aided threats, and unguided munitions. Upon detection of the threat, the system will provide an audio and visual sector warning to the pilot. For IR missile threats, the system automatically initiates countermeasures by sending a command signal to the countermeasures dispensing set.

With a 15-year service life, AN/AAR-47 system offers multi-threat warning in one fully integrated system, a low false alarm rate and high probability of a timely warning. It includes sensor pre-processing for improved performance in high-clutter environments. The system is in service on a wide variety of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.

The system interfaces with the radar signal detecting set (AN/APR-39), countermeasures dispensing sets (AN/ALE-39, AN/ALE-40 or AN/ALE-47), multi-function display cockpits and the pilots intercom system. The system is small and lightweight, with a computer processor that weighs about 16.25 lbs., a control indicator that is about 2 lbs. and optical sensor converters that come in at about 3.5 lbs. each.

Hatchet miniature precision glide weapon

The Hatchet miniature precision glide weapon, currently in development was also at the event. It is the result of years of multifunctional system trades. Hatchet’s unique externally deployed aerodynamic surfaces provide an unparalleled efficiency in compressed carriage for light aircraft. Compressed carriage supports a variety of low-drag launcher designs.

Hatchet, when employed from an MMCLT (Multiple Missile Common Launch Tube), will triple the precision guided munitions load-out of the Special Operations AC-130 aircraft.

The heart of Hatchet’s effectiveness is its enhanced lethality warhead. It comprises more than half of the glide weapon’s weight. It achieves high lethality by closely and adaptively coupling its warhead effects on a particular target with an innovative terminal guidance design.

Bushmaster line of Chain Guns

The spotlight was also on the Bushmaster line of Chain Guns and automatic cannons that support 7.62mm, 25mm, 30mm and 40mm applications for air, land and sea weapons station platform integration.

The Bushmaster III automatic cannon is propelling Chain Gun technology into the 21st century. The compact, cost-effective weapon is available today, yet has the devastating firepower that will be needed to defeat the threat of tomorrow. What’s more, it incorporates all of the battle-proven features of the 25mm M242 Bushmaster cannon, with significant system commonality for low-risk, proven performance.

The 7.62mm Bushmaster Chain Gun, originally developed for coaxial use and the smallest member of the Chain Gun family, is a rugged, highly-reliable, combat effective weapon readily adaptable to various machine gun roles. By design, it provides the optimum solution to combat the normal feed problems associated with most present-day gas operated small calibre machine guns, but with proven Bushmaster reliability.

Like the 25mm M242 automatic cannon, the 7.62mm Bushmaster Chain Gun ejects fired cases, including the retained gases, forward (outboard) and capitalises on long bolt-dwell time to minimize gas build-up in all cupola or turreted installations. Toxic gas emission within the vehicle during firing has been proven to be less than 5 per cent of that found with contemporary, gas-operated coaxial weapons.

For coaxial installation, the weapon is configured to permit barrel change in less than 10 seconds without downloading ammunition. Barrel jacket configuration can be varied to suit the needs of the specific installation and all jacket designs provide for the quick-change barrel feature.

The Bushmaster Chain Gun offers exceptional reliability and combat availability several orders of magnitude better than any comparable weapon of this calibre.

The Bushmaster Chain Gun fires 570 rounds per minute of NATO standard 7.62mm ammunition.

Reference Text/Photo:www.orbitalatk.com

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