The U.S. Army awarded General Dynamics a $149 million contract for various Hydra 70 rockets and components for foreign military sales, a U.S. Department of Defense release said.
The $149,163,995 modification to a 2014 contract is “for the procurement of various quantities of M151, M274, M257, M278, M156, M264, M278, and WTU-1/B, rockets, warheads, motors and, or, associated components” for foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Kenya, Jordan, Nigeria and Qatar, the Thursday, June 21 release said.
The estimated completion date is February 28, 2021.
The specific warhead variants listed are high explosive (M151), white phosphorus (M156), red phosphorus smoke (M264), parachute illumination (M257), infra-red parachute illumination (M278), practice smoke (M274), and inert practice rounds (WTU-1/B).
Hydra 70 is is a 2.75-inch fin-stabilized unguided rocket used primarily in the air-to-ground role which can be equipped with a variety of warheads. The system, derived from the Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket developed by the United States Navy in the 1940s, has a maximum range of 10.5 km (11,500 yards).
There are a number of launcher variants that can carry either seven or 19 rockets.
More recent versions can also be fitted with guidance systems like the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System.
Hydra 70 is the most commonly used helicopter-launched rocket system, and can be installed on most rotary and fixed wing aircraft including the AH-64 Apache, AH-1 Cobra, UH-60 Black Hawk, MH-6 Little Bird and OH-58 Kiowa.