What do you do with an old missile? Replace it with one that”s faster, stronger, cheaper to deploy and much more accurate. Better yet, replace it with two.
Raytheon is developing a long-range missile for the Army’s Long-Range Precision Fires requirement that will allow the Army to field twice as many missiles on its existing launch vehicles. Thin and sleek, it will fire two missiles from a single weapons pod, slashing the cost. The new missile also flies farther, packs more punch and has a better guidance system than the current weapon.
“We”re looking to replace a design originally from the 1980s,” said Greg Haynes, a Raytheon manager leading the company’s campaign for a new long-range weapon. “Missile technology has come a long way.”
The ability to fit two DeepStrike missiles in an existing launcher is a significant leap over existing tactical missiles.
More information on the Army”s Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) Missile program can be found at, http://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/long-range-precision-fires-lrpf/.