Rafael Unveils Precision Guidance Kit for Surface-to-Surface Rockets
The growing need for precision-guided munitions for ground forces and the desire to provide accurate, independent firepower to maneuvering forces are leading the Israeli industries to develop precision guidance kits for rockets. In the past two weeks, both Rafael and IAI have introduced such kits
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 23/05/2018
The EPIK add-on precision guidance kit (Photo: Rafael Advanced Defence Systems)
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has released details of its EPIK (Electro-Optical Precision Integration Kit) technology development – a capability enhancement designed to furnish unguided surface-to-surface rocket system effectors with autonomous stand-off precision guidance and increased range.
EPIK is an add-on precision guidance kit (PGK) that leverages the electro-optical sensor and scene-matching/signal processing technologies developed for Rafael’s Spice family of air-to-surface munitions.
According to Gal Papier, Head of Marketing & Business Development, Precision Tactical Weapons Systems at Rafael, a considerable number of ground forces have unguided surface-to-surface rockets in their inventories, which have a high circular error probable (CEP).
“Consequently, over the past two years, we’ve leveraged that technology to inform development of the EPIK concept to address growing demands from ground forces for a solution that can engage autonomously, in multiple areas and hit multiple targets, with precision, simultaneously,” Papier told Jane’s.
“We’ve now completed risk mitigation of the process of installing the add-on kit on a rocket – primarily with the 122 mm Grad surface-to-surface rocket – although we can add EPIK to any caliber of unguided surface-to-surface effector that has a motor and warhead.”
The EPIK add-on architecture includes an uncooled infrared (IR) sensor, a laser sensor to enable engagement of moving targets, as well as an onboard inertial navigation system (INS) and a global positioning system (GPS) only used for back-up.
According to company information, Spice guidance kits have a CEP of less than 3 meters. If the same technology was used for the EPIK, we could expect similar CEP results.
The growing need for precision-guided munitions for ground forces and the desire to provide accurate, independent firepower to maneuvering forces are leading the Israeli industries to develop precision guidance kits for rockets. In the past two weeks, both Rafael and IAI have introduced such kits
The EPIK add-on precision guidance kit (Photo: Rafael Advanced Defence Systems)
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has released details of its EPIK (Electro-Optical Precision Integration Kit) technology development – a capability enhancement designed to furnish unguided surface-to-surface rocket system effectors with autonomous stand-off precision guidance and increased range.
EPIK is an add-on precision guidance kit (PGK) that leverages the electro-optical sensor and scene-matching/signal processing technologies developed for Rafael’s Spice family of air-to-surface munitions.
According to Gal Papier, Head of Marketing & Business Development, Precision Tactical Weapons Systems at Rafael, a considerable number of ground forces have unguided surface-to-surface rockets in their inventories, which have a high circular error probable (CEP).
“Consequently, over the past two years, we’ve leveraged that technology to inform development of the EPIK concept to address growing demands from ground forces for a solution that can engage autonomously, in multiple areas and hit multiple targets, with precision, simultaneously,” Papier told Jane’s.
“We’ve now completed risk mitigation of the process of installing the add-on kit on a rocket – primarily with the 122 mm Grad surface-to-surface rocket – although we can add EPIK to any caliber of unguided surface-to-surface effector that has a motor and warhead.”
The EPIK add-on architecture includes an uncooled infrared (IR) sensor, a laser sensor to enable engagement of moving targets, as well as an onboard inertial navigation system (INS) and a global positioning system (GPS) only used for back-up.
According to company information, Spice guidance kits have a CEP of less than 3 meters. If the same technology was used for the EPIK, we could expect similar CEP results.
