Vehicle and Naval Mountings Under Development
At AUSA 2018 in Washington 8-10 October Arnold Defense will be discussing early results of its exploration of new land- and sea-based concepts for its FLETCHER laser-guided rocket launcher system.
Unveiled in 2017, the FLETCHER system has since conducted successful test firings and has entered low rate initial production. Using advanced rocket-guidance technology to meet the modern demands of land-based, mounted and dismounted asymmetric warfare, FLETCHER has been optimized for use by both special and conventional forces to provide surface-to-surface precision effect.
The wider concepts now being explored further expand FLETCHER’s utility into the arena of unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), naval and littoral platforms. The ability to mount FLETCHER on UGV will offer ground forces the capability to remotely support base or mobile defensive operations, giving considerably wider scope for tactical siting of remotely operated, laser-guided weapon systems, whilst significantly minimising exposure and risk for ground-based troops. Mounting FLETCHER on naval/littoral platforms will offer maritime forces a precision weapon system with a range of up to 5km that can be deployed and operated at a tactical level never previously available.
“Since launching FLETCHER, Arnold Defense has exhibited the system widely on the international market, where it has garnered significant interest world-wide, especially from special operations units. Our rocket launchers are already internationally well-established on airborne platforms, so transitioning into the land and marine environments with FLETCHER is a natural progression [….] These exciting new concepts will afford both land and maritime troops a transformational capability that has not previously been available without recourse to external air or aviation assets,” commented company President and CEO, Jim Hager.