Raytheon’s LRAS3’s sensor-to-missile capability gives warfighters remote, safe options

Raytheon Company, based in Waltham, MA, announced on April 2 that it pushed battlefield situational awareness to a new, safer level by integrating existing sensor-to-missile technologies during a recent exercise at Camp Blanding, Fla.

Raytheon Missile Systems engineers successfully connected two dismounted, remotely operated sensors to a soldier’s laptop and hand controller, sending commands directly to a nearby Griffin missile launcher.

A Long Range Acquisition Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3) identified the target and sent slew commands through its network to an Enhanced LRAS3 sensor, which confirmed the coordinates needed to engage the target. With this connectivity, the target’s precise position was transmitted with greatly improved speed and accuracy through a secure laptop network, eliminating the need for voice commands.

“On the battlefield, this network capability will keep a soldier safe in a bunker or other protected position while conducting surveillance, identifying enemy targets and handing-off coordinates to a nearby portable weapons system,” said Michelle Lohmeier, Raytheon’s vice president of Land Warfare Systems.

By implementing the network connectivity, Raytheon is able to provide battlespace innovation and give warfighters the tools and sensor-to-missile capabilities needed to identify and neutralize threats.

About LRAS3/eLRAS3/Remote Operation Kit

The Long-Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System is a multi-sensor system designed to provide forward deployed scouts and observers real-time ability to detect, recognize, identify and geo-locate distant targets. LRAS3 allows for 24/7 reconnaissance and surveillance missions, remaining outside threat acquisition and engagement ranges by replacing obsolete systems requiring observers to be within direct fire range of the threat they seek to detect.

Enhanced LRAS3, or eLRAS3, is the next generation Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System providing a 55 percent reduction in sensor weight and volume and is fully compatible with all existing LRAS3 platforms.

The Remote Operation Kit enables full LRAS3/eLRAS3 capability to the user while providing an intuitive graphical user interface and handheld control. The kit allows the LRAS3/eLRAS3 system to be used in the dismounted configuration on a tripod, mast or tower, or mounted on a vehicle.

About Griffin

The Griffin missile is a multi-platform, multi-service weapon with a proven track record of successful rapid integration on land, sea and air assets. The combat-proven Griffin AGM-176A is an aft-eject missile designed for employment from platforms such as the C-130 aircraft. The Griffin BGM-176B is a forward-firing missile that launches from rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, ground-launch applications and maritime platforms. The Griffin missile is 43 inches long, weighs 33 pounds, has a 13-pound warhead and is in production today. Griffin enables the warfighter to engage targets via a simple user interface and guide the weapon to the target using GPS coordinates exclusively or with laser designation. To maximize lethality, the user can choose to engage the target with direct attack or high impact angle and has the option of using height of burst, point detonation or delayed fuzing.

Source: Raytheon Company