Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: ARSP.B1) has won a tender to develop, manufacture and supply new fuses for the Israel Defense Force's artillery shells, which will significantly improve their precision. IAI's TopGun, which converts standard artillery ammunition into a precision guided weapon by using a guidance integrated fuse, without significantly altering firing routines, will be unveiled at the AUSA meeting and exhibition in Washington DC tomorrow.
Estimates are that the contract to equip the IDF with the new fuses is worth several tens of millions of dollars. The tender was issued by the Ministry of Defense Administration for the Research and Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure (Mafat).
TopGun is a munitions fuse installed on the 155 millimeter artillery shells used by the IDF. TopGun performs correction of the ballistic trajectory in the air against pre-determined targets. Steering is carried out by miniature avionics controlled deflectors contained in the fuse, making the shell precise enough for urban warfare and reducing the risk of collateral damage to civilians and others not involved in the conflict.
IAI MLM DIVISION general manager Jacob Galifat told "Globes" that TopGun meets the specifications set out by the IDF and believes that other country's security forces will show interest in the fuses due to its ability to expand the range of missions that artillery units can undertake.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 8, 2017
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2017