2.75in Weapon System to be Demonstrated on NIMR AJBAN
St Louis-based Arnold Defense will be showing its FLETCHER 2.75in laser guided rocket launcher installed on a NIMR ABJAN long-range special operations vehicle during IDEX next week.
First unveiled in 2017, FLETCHER has completed rigorous test-firing protocols, with laser target designation from both ground and air platforms, and is now in initial production. The system departs from the traditional concept of use for 2.75-inch rocket systems; that of an area suppression weapon ordinarily delivered by aviation assets. Arnold’s evolution has FLETCHER using advanced rocket-guidance technology from ground-based launch platforms, meeting the demands of modern, vehicle-mounted and dismounted asymmetric warfare.
FLETCHER’s unique design allows for ease of operation, maintenance and sustainment. It employs an existing suite of guidance modules, rockets and warheads in current use. The system recently successfully completed a four-round live firing test using multiple airborne laser platforms, confirming its ability to use laser designation, from ground and air, from multiple angles and offsets to a distance nearly 6km.
Following high levels of interest, Arnold Defense is also developing a number of supplementary ground and maritime concepts, which will expand FLETCHER’s utility into Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV), naval and littoral platforms. The company anticipates unveiling the first of these integrated systems within months.
FLETCHER is supported by a global team of defence industry companies, collaborating to combine their complimentary expertise. The team is able to provide a full-system approach to FLETCHER; incorporating design, validation, testing, manufacture and full-system integration within a wide range of ground-to-ground engagement scenarios.
“Since launching FLETCHER, Arnold Defense has exhibited the system widely on the international market, where it has garnered significant interest, especially from military special operations units. Our rocket launchers are already well-established internationally on airborne platforms, so transitioning into the land and marine environments with FLETCHER has been a natural progression and will provide these forces with a completely new capability,” explained Arnold Defense President and CEO, Jim Hager, adding “Exhibiting FLETCHER in partnership with NIMR Automotive demonstrates the wide scope and utility of our concept and we look forward to maximising the opportunities that IDEX 2019 will offer to establish and deepen relationships with regional government departments, defence and security agencies and international businesses.”