BAE Systems will equip U.S. Army ground vehicles with the Soft Kill Active Protection System (APS) program designed to counter drones and anti-tank guided missiles before they reach the vehicle. The program of record uses BAE Systems’ Rapid Optical Observation and Kill (ROOK) system to add electronic warfare protection to combat vehicles.
ROOK operates as a soft-kill countermeasure system for battlefield conditions with multiple threat inputs. The system supports situational awareness and threat response by detecting incoming weapons and applying electronic countermeasures.
Those countermeasures jam threat guidance systems before impact. This can make incoming weapons ineffective without using hard-kill kinetic interceptors, preserving onboard interceptor capacity for other threats.
“Modern ground warfare demands a layered defense, and soft-kill technologies are a critical, complementary component,” said Dave Gillespie, director of optics and countermeasure solutions at BAE Systems. “ROOK offers a cost-effective, sustainable defense with an infinite magazine depth, continuously disrupting enemy systems.”
The Soft Kill APS program builds on R&D programs. The contract also supports further development of BAE Systems’ Stormcrow and TERRA RAVEN countermeasure systems, along with prototype delivery for vehicle integration and testing.
BAE Systems has supplied survivability equipment to the U.S. Department of War and allied forces for decades. Its vehicle protection systems form part of the Intrepid Shield layered approach and are developed and manufactured in Austin, Texas, with R&D support in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Source: BAE Systems
About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is a leader in lifecycle support for commercial aircraft, providing engineering, maintenance, and repair services that span every phase of an aircraft’s life, supporting more than 600 operators and 33,000 aircraft worldwide. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Falls Church, VA, BAE Systems Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, developing and manufacturing defense and aerospace systems for military and government use, including electronic warfare, armored vehicles, naval vessels, munitions, aerospace components, cybersecurity, and intelligence systems. The company employs about 41,000 people across 38 states and multiple international locations, supports U.S. defense programs such as F-35 fighter electronics and naval ship maintenance, and holds more than 2,000 patents across its technology and manufacturing operations.