Following the exceptional levels of interest expressed in the new FLETCHER Laser Guided Rocket Launcher system, Arnold Defense™ has been exploring a number of exciting ground and maritime-based concepts for their revolutionary new system.
The FLETCHER™ system, first unveiled a year ago in London at DSEI, has undergone highly successful test-firing and has now commenced initial low-rate production. With FLETCHER™, Arnold Defense™ has extended the utility of their proven, highly capable rocket launcher from aviation platforms into the land environment. Using advanced rocket-guidance technology to meet the modern demands of land-based, mounted and dismounted asymmetric warfare, FLETCHER™ has been optimized for use by both special and conventional forces to provide surface-to-surface precision effect.
The wider concepts now being explored further expand FLETCHER™’s utility into the arena of Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV), naval and littoral platforms. The ability to mount FLETCHER™ on UGV will offer ground forces the capability to remotely support base or mobile defensive operations; giving considerably wider scope for the tactical siting of remotely operated, laser guided weapon systems, whilst significantly minimising exposure and risk to ground-based troops. Further to that, mounting FLETCHER™ on naval/littoral platforms will gift maritime troops a precision weapon system with a range of up to 5km that can be deployed and operated at a tactical level never previously available.
Jim Hager, President and CEO of Arnold Defense™ said “Since launching FLETCHER™, Arnold Defense™ has exhibited the system widely on the international market, where it has garnered significant interest world-wide, especially from special operations units. Our rocket launchers are already internationally well-established on airborne platforms, so transitioning into the land and marine environments with FLETCHER™ is a natural progression”. He added: “These exciting new concepts will afford both land and maritime troops a transformational capability that has not previously been available without recourse to external air or aviation assets.”
