Air Force Arms Combat Aircraft with BAE Laser-Guided Rocket | DoD Buzz

The U.S. Air Force has for the first time armed combat aircraft with a new laser-guided rocket made by BAE Systems for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the company announced.

The service has equipped its F-16 fighter jets and A-10 ground-attack aircraft with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, according to a press release this week from the British defense giant.

The rocket is actually a mid-body guidance kit that converts unguided rockets into “smart” laser-seeking missiles, according to BAE. The system converts a 2.75-inch Hydra rocket into a guided munition by adding a semi-active laser guidance and control mid-section