BAE Systems has been awarded the Soft Kill Active Protection System (APS) program of record by the US Army, equipping ground vehicles with advanced electronic warfare capabilities.
The program leverages BAE Systems’ Rapid Optical Observation and Kill (ROOK) system to disrupt and defeat incoming threats, including unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and anti-tank guided missiles.
ROOK is a soft-kill countermeasure system. According to BAE Systems, its electronic countermeasures defeat threats before they reach the vehicle by confusing or jamming their guidance systems.
“Modern ground warfare demands a layered defense, and soft-kill technologies are a critical, complementary component,” director of Optics and Countermeasure Solutions at BAE Systems, Dave Gillespie, stated. “ROOK offers a cost-effective, sustainable defense with an infinite magazine depth, continuously disrupting enemy systems.”
The Soft Kill APS program builds on core research and development programs, and it supports the Army’s commitment to rapidly field robust and adaptable active protection systems.
The contract will also support further development of BAE Systems’ Stormcrow and Terra Raven countermeasure systems and the delivery of prototype systems for vehicle integration and testing.
BAE Systems has provided what it claims is combat-proven survivability equipment to the US Department of War and its allies for decades. The company’s next-generation systems are part of its Intrepid Shield layered approach to platform protection.
BAE Systems’ vehicle protection systems are developed and manufactured at the company’s facility in Austin, Texas, with research and development support in Merrimack, New Hampshire.