DULLES, Va.Mar. 9, 2015--
Orbital ATK, Inc. (NYSE:OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies, announced today that the company has signed a contract
with the U.S. Army for additional production of the Precision Guidance
Kit (PGK) for 155mm artillery. Once fielded to the warfighter, PGK will
transform conventional 155mm artillery projectiles into a near precision
weapon reliably reducing normal artillery dispersion of more than 200
meters to less than 30 meters. This transformation allows highly
responsive and precise use of artillery on the modern battlefield.
Orbital ATK received a $120 million contract from the U.S. Army for additional production of the Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) for 155mm artillery. (Photo: Business Wire)
The $120 million (USD), contract calls for the production, lot
acceptance testing and delivery of the guidance fuzes for fielding to
U.S. and select allied armies. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in
early 2016 without a production break from the Low Rate Initial
Production which began in January 2015.
This contract signing marks another significant milestone for the PGK
program, said Dan Olson, vice president and general manager of Orbital
ATK s Armament Systems division of the Defense Systems Group. Fielding
PGK for use with existing artillery projectiles provides soldiers with a
distinct battlefield advantage by greatly reducing the inherent
dispersion associated with conventional artillery. As a proven and
qualified technology, the next step is growing PGK into future precision
applications for either existing or new direct and indirect fire weapons
systems.
PGK is a guidance fuze that fits within the fuze well of 155mm
high-explosive artillery projectiles, performing in-flight course
corrections to greatly reduce artillery dispersion. The Orbital ATK
design features a fixed-canard guidance and control approach with
gun-hardened electronics and a self-generated power supply. PGK performs
all standard fuze functions while also incorporating a fail-safe
option, preventing a PGK-equipped artillery round from detonating if it
does not get close enough to the target.
Today s battlefield is ever-changing in terms of terrain and engagement
criteria. Reducing the risk of friendly and civilian casualties and
collateral damage to infrastructure is critical. This combination of
constraints often restricts ground commander s options and sometimes
limits use of artillery to engage critical targets.
PGK s ability to reliably reduce artillery dispersion provides the
warfighter a level of precision necessary to greatly reduce the risk of
collateral damage and put artillery back into the fight.
Orbital ATK supplied PGK for use in Afghanistan for training and
tactical operations via an urgent materiel release in March 2013. In
December 2014, PGK passed First Article Acceptance Testing.
Orbital ATK Defense Systems Group s Armament Systems division in
Plymouth, Minnesota is responsible for PGK program management, systems
integration and production.
Orbital ATK Defense Systems Group is an industry leader in providing
innovative and affordable ammunition, precision and strike weapons,
electronic warfare systems, and missile components across air-, sea-,
and land-based systems.
About Orbital ATK
Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies.
The company designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation
systems for customers around the world, both as a prime contractor and
merchant supplier. Its main products include launch vehicles and related
propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense
electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition;
satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced
aerospace structures. Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital ATK
employs more than 12,000 people in 20 states across the United States
and in several international locations. For more information, visit www.orbitalatk.com.
Source: Orbital ATK, Inc.
Media:
Defense Systems Group Communications
Bryan
Kidder, (410) 864-4932
bryan.kidder@orbitalatk.com
or
Investor:
Orbital
ATK, Inc.
Barron Beneski, (703) 406-5528
barron.beneski@orbitalatk.com