BAE Systems has received a contract to support the US Army’s joint effects targeting system (JETS) programme, which aims to enhance detection and response capabilities in the battlefield.
Valued at $15m, the contract includes initiation of a three-year engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase for the company’s new Handheld Azimuth Measuring, Marking, Electro-optic imaging & Ranging (HAMMER) precision targeting system with the programme.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
BAE Systems targeting programs director Dr Mark Hutchins said the lightweight precision targeting system enabled dismounted combat operators to locate and mark targets with the precision required for GPS-guided and laser-guided munitions in all weather and lighting conditions.
"We will continue to provide dismounted soldiers and operators with the most cost-effective, compact, and precise targeting equipment available," Hutchins said.
Developed using the company’s already deployed target reconnaissance infrared geolocating rangefinder (TRIGR) system, the HAMMER is a man-portable system designed to help troops locate, identify and designate targets, while also minimising collateral damage and friendly fire incidents.
Manufactured in collaboration with several industry partners, the system features a non-magnetic compass and a compact laser marker, which has jointly been developed with Elbit Systems of America, based on laser target designators already developed and fielded by the team with the US Marine Corps.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe HAMMER system is compact and cost-effective compared with other precision targeting systems that are currently present in the inventory of the US Department of Defense (DoD).
Once deployed as part of the JETS programme, the system is expected to help dismounted troops rapidly receive, transmit, and coordinate targeting data, and also distinguish friends from foes with immediate availability of satellite positioning and surveillance information.
Image: The HAMMER system will enable US soldiers to rapidly receive, transmit, and coordinate targeting data in the battlefield. Photo: courtesy of BAE Systems.
