A Cessna Caravan aircraft armed with MBDA Inc GBU-44/E Viper Strike bombs scored direct hits against several high speed vehicles during a recent two-day US government-sponsored test.

The 44lb (20kg) weapons hit eight fast-moving target vehicles during realistic test scenarios at the White Sands missile range in New Mexico, MBDA says.

"This proven high-speed target attack capability is a game changer for warfighters that need to hit very fast vehicles with great precision and from any direction of attack," says Tom Bien, MBDA's Viper Strike programme manager.

 Viper Strike - MBDA

MBDA Inc

The Viper Strike is set to deploy shortly on the US Marine Corps' Lockheed Martin KC-130J Harvest Hercules Airborne Weapons Kit-equipped aircraft, but it has been used previously on both manned and unmanned aircraft, the company says. MBDA's US business acquired the Viper Strike product from Northrop Grumman late last year.

Source: Flight International