General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems has announced that it has successfully demonstrated the ability to maneuver and guide 81mm air-dropped mortars to a stationary ground target after release from an aircraft.

The guide-to-target flight tests verified the ability of the novel General Dynamics guidance system to provide a precision strike capability utilizing low-cost mortars. These test results build on previous pre-programmed maneuver flight tests successfully conducted by General Dynamics in 2007.

This application for mortars was made possible through use of the company's patented Roll Controlled Fixed Canard (RCFC) flight control and guidance system.

The innovative RCFC guidance system is an integral fuze and guidance-and-flight control kit that will replace current fuze hardware in existing mortars.

The RCFC nose-mounted guidance kits leverage the Army's existing mortar inventory, logistics and investment to provide a cost-effective and lightweight weapons solution for unmanned guided aircraft. The guidance system employs Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation.

Application of RCFC technology to 81mm air-dropped mortar guidance kits was sponsored by the U.S. Army's Armament Research Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal, N.J.

This successful collaboration provides Tactical Class Unmanned Aircraft System (TCUAS) operators with a low-cost, lightweight weaponization candidate for rapid fielding.