22 October 2010
Raytheon Tests New Weapon Designed for Unmanned Aircraft Systems
by Mike Nachshen
GlobalSecurity.org

YUMA PROVING GROUND, Ariz./PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) successfully flight tested Small Tactical Munition, a new weapon specifically designed to be employed from unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). STM is a 13-pound guided bomb that is approximately 2-feet long, making it the smallest bomb in the Raytheon family of weapons.

The bomb's dual-mode, semiactive laser seeker and GPS-inertial navigation system enable the weapon to engage both fixed and moving targets around-the-clock, regardless of weather conditions.

"Current combat operations have highlighted the need for extremely small, precise weapons that are optimally designed for remotely piloted aircraft," said Bob Francois, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems. "STM is part of a portfolio of weapons that meets the warfighter's need in this area."

Raytheon flight tested two STM weapons on two separate passes from a Cobra UAS. The GPS-INS guided the weapons to a mid-course position where the semiactive laser seeker precisely guided the weapon to the target, achieving all test objectives.

"Raytheon has been the world leader in weapons and aircraft weaponization for 60 years; developing a unique weapon for today's unmanned aircraft combat operations is a natural fit," added Francois.

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide.