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Harlow, UK: The guided flight trials development programme for the Raytheon Paveway IV dual-mode precision guided weapon was successfully completed with the fourth and final release from a British Aerospace Harrier GR9. The test was carried out over QinetiQ's Aberporth Range in Wales. Paveway IV is the next generation of the combat-proven Paveway family of precision guided munitions.
It is jointly developed by Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL) in the U.K. (Prime Contractor) and Raytheon Missile Systems in the United States to meet the U.K.'s Precision Guided Bomb (PGB) requirement.
Following on from the first successful trial announced in July, three further planned releases have now been completed to prove a wide range of new capabilities that the weapon will provide to the Royal Air Force when it enters service next year. The trials have successfully demonstrated various operational capabilities such as impact and heading angle control at the target, together with airburst and impact fuzing events. The trials programme concluded with a fourth drop where the weapon was released in an IMU-only mode transitioning to Laser guidance in the end game. This has operational significance by providing the warfighter with an accurate weapon solution even in a GPS-denied environment.
Tobin Touchstone, RSL's Director of Precision Systems, said, “The flight trials have been a complete success with the weapon impacting well within specified accuracy requirements. Thanks to close team working between ourselves and the IPT the PGB programme is still on schedule and within cost, receiving favourable comment in the latest NAO Major Projects Report.”
Additionally the first production deliveries of Practice Round Weapons were achieved in October 2006. These deliveries were made to QinetiQ at Boscombe Down where additional flying in preparation for Military Aircraft Release Recommendation was performed on the Harrier GR9.
The PGB programme also attained its second MoD Anchor Milestone for 2006 with the successful achievement of Logistic Support Date 1. This success was based on the delivery of the Weapon Loading and Ground Crew Training, completion of the Land Based Maintainability Demonstration, delivery of four sets of drill hardware, weapon and delivery of Technical Publications.
