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DAGR Helo rocket excels in latest test: Lockheed The U.S. Army is monitoring the development of laser-guided, precision 2.75-inch Hydra rockets able to place 35-pound missiles within one meter of target from up to 12,000 meters away, service officials said April 8 at the Army Aviation Association of .America Convention in National Harbor, Md.
"1 would love a precision-fire ability and there is a requirement for 2.75 but right now we don't have a funded program. Several manufacturers are doing development on precision rockets," said U.S. Army Col. Mark Hayes, capabilities manager, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).
Lockheed Martin's DAGR semi-active laser-guided Hydra rocket is a key contender for the Army's requirement, which emerged out of combat experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, Army officials said. Helicopter pilots often seek to destroy small moving targets such as insurgents in a pickup truck while minimizing collateral damage and reducing risk of injury to civilians, Army officials said. Currently, the Army does not have a precision-guided rocket smaller than a Hellfire to fire from aircraft, Army and Lockheed officials said.
"Most of the technology is mature at this point, so there are a lot of things you can do on the end of a 2.75 inch rocket. It depends on what the technology readiness level is and what kind of money you want to commit to it," Hayes said.
Test-fired March 29 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., the DAGR 2.75-inch rocket hit targets at 2.5 and 3 kilometers within a meter of the laser-designated target, said John Morris, director of business development for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
In development with Lockheed's own internal funding since 2006, the DAGR program has five more test firings this year before being more fully integrated into a yet-to-be announced platform.
'Any platform that fires Hellfire today could fire DAGR, including the Cobra, Apache, Little Bird, Black Hawk, the Predator UAV and the ERMP," said Randy Thomas, a business development manager with Lockheed. "It fires just like a Hellfire, but the difference is instead of delivering a very large warhead, you are doing to deliver a 10-pound smaller warhead and less collateral damage. DAGR is about taking that small warhead on the Hydra 70 and making it as precise as a Hellfire without having to change anything on the aircraft."
Denmark to reinforce Afghan deployment
Denmark's defense ministry said April 8 it was sending extra helicopters and troops to Afghanistan, where it has suffered one of the highest per capita death tolls among coalition forces.
"In the context of efforts aimed at strength-
ening the security of troops (already] deployed, it has been decided to reinforce the Danish contribution in Afghanistan with reconnaissance helicopters," a statement read.
Between two and four Fennec craft as well as some 50-75 staff will be mobilized in about two months, it added.
The ministry cited spring growth of vegetation hindering visibility for ground troops as a factor behind the decision. Spokesman Jacob Winther also told AFP that the reinforcements were agreed independently of NATO requests for extra resources around last week's summit in Bucharest, Romania.
"It's because of security [concerns] over our own soldiers," Winther said.
Denmark presently has some 550 troops stationed in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, under British command.
The March 31 killing of a Danish soldier in Afghan fighting raised the country's combat death toll to 14, with most having died in the past year amid a resurgence of Taliban fighting.
The Danish daily Politiken has published photographs of the dead, with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates subsequently highlighting Denmark's "significant" share of the alliance "burden" amid a shortfall experienced by the 43,000-strong NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.
India, Germany conduct naval exercises
India and Germany are holding their first-ever joint sea exercises in Indian waters from April 7, a follow-up of the Indo-Gcrman Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in 2006.
Manned by 700 personnel, the German flotilla included three warships, FGS Hamburg, FGS Koln and FGS Berlin, commanded by Capt. Michael Budde.
The joint exercise, scheduled to last for about 10 hours, will include seamanship exercise, communication, exchange of personnel and flying exercises, a senior Indian Navy official said.
Two Indian Navy frigates, INS Tir and INS Krishna, and a helicopter and training ships are representing the Indian Navy manned by 300 personnel.
The defense cooperation agreement signed in 2006 opened the doors for German technology transfer to India and provided the framework for holding joint naval exercises and other interaction between their armed forces, said a diplomat of the German Embassy.
Germany is keen to compete for the Indian Navy's intended purchase of six new submarines worth $4 billion. In the first IndoGerman High Defence Committee meeting held here last year, Germany assured India it would include technology transfer whenever possible in armament procurement and joint weapon development programs.
SOURCE www defcnsenews.com.