The US Navy has awarded a new $26.5m contract to Lockheed Martin for the production of enhanced laser guided training rounds (ELGTR), which can be used as an alternative to operational laser-guided bombs (LGB) during training.
The current deal will extend the production of ELGTR into late 2019, and includes a base performance period with options to extend it for four additional years.
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Lockheed Martin will supply ELGTRs to the US Navy and upgrade the reusable shipping containers under the agreement.
The LGTR production project's remaining options are to be carried out through 2023.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control ELGTR programme manager Jason Golden said: “ELGTR provides the training capabilities the US Navy requires to be prepared for challenging tactical mission environments.
“The entire tactical team, from weapon handlers to ground support personnel to aircrew, benefits from executing end-to-end training procedures.”
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By GlobalDataELGTR offers similar flight characteristics to the Paveway II laser-guided weapon systems, and is compatible with F-16, F/A-18, AV-8B and a wide range of other international aircraft platforms.
It also allows pilots to practice delivery tactics in a real-mission environment in order to experience actual weapon characteristics within their current range limitations.
In addition, ELGTR provides circular error probability (CEP) within 4m and CE90 performance against challenging airborne-based tactical target environments.
More than 160,000 units of ELGTR / LGTRs have been manufactured by Lockheed Martin for the US Navy, US Marine Corps and other international customers to date.
Lockheed Martin secured $24.2m worth of contracts from the US Navy for ELGTR production in June 2015.
Image: Lockheed Martin’s enhanced laser guided training rounds provide warfighters with training capabilities to prepare for challenging environments. Photo: courtesy of US Navy by mass communications specialist 3rd Class Jeanette Mullinax.
