BAE and Lockheed have announced that together they are developing the 5in long-range land attack projectile (LRLAP) for US Naval guns.
According to a senior BAE official speaking at this year’s Defence Systems & Equipment International event held in London, the initiative is progressing and the companies are planning full tactical flight tests for early 2010.
Currently BAE is developing a 6in LRLAP for the US Navy’s DDG-1000 ships that is scheduled for critical design review in 2010.
Both the companies are taking the technology of the 6in version and spiralling it into a 5in frame to be carried by ships smaller than the DDG-1000.
The 5in projectile could work with the smaller mk45 mod 4 naval gun while the 6in LRLAP is used with BAE’s 155mm naval gun.
BAE and Lockheed expect to receive a request for proposal from the US Navy for a 5in projectile and are willing to market the munition to navies outside the US.
