Lockheed Tests New Lightweight Munition

A new unpowered, lightweight munition that is adaptable to multiple launchers has been flight tested from a C-130 aircraft by Lockheed Martin at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona.

The Scorpion munition has a top range of 10nm and will provide the warfighter with an affordable strike option against a wide range of targets including structures, light armoured vehicles, missile launchers and artillery.

During the flight test, the Scorpion successfully deployed its fins and wing and employed its semi-active laser seeker to strike the laser-designated target by using a GPS navigation system to locate the target area.

Lockheed Martin missiles and fire control strike weapons vice-president Randy Bigum said the munition provided an affordable solution against targets in areas requiring low collateral damage, such as urban environments.

"This precision attack munition features a small, lethal warhead that can be launched from a wide variety of platforms to take out time-critical fixed or moving targets," he said.

The Scorpion can also be configured to use planned, imaging infrared, short-wave infrared or millimeter wave seekers to significantly reduce the possibility of collateral damage.