Led by Program Manager – Future Weapons, Leon McLaren, the trials marked flight certification for the system. RAZER enables defence forces to extend the range and accuracy of a 155mm shell or similar payload through a glide vehicle comprised of a body and wing kit, tail control unit, and flight guidance system, supported this year by a new mission planning system.
Two variants of the air-launched system achieved direct hits, demonstrating the ability to carry a range of payloads. “RAZER has proven it can accept payloads from 7kg to 43kg and attack a target effectively. The customer could implement mortars, 5-inch shells, 155-millimetre shells, or even their own special to type warhead and fuse,” MacLaren said.
The trials expanded RAZER’s flight envelope and confirmed its operational flexibility. “You can pull RAZER out of the box, load the shell, or custom ordinance, load a coordinate, and have it ready to launch in 20 minutes,” MacLaren added.
The system is designed to be produced locally through a sovereign supply chain, supporting the Commonwealth’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group’s plans for onshore capability. “The goal of RAZER was to make it as cost effective as we could to produce, because we know that customers are demanding value for money, flexibility, and scalable mass,” Mr MacLaren said.
The robustness of the entire system was confirmed during the tactical environment trials, with most of the development work now complete. “We’ve successfully proven that we can hit targets, and we are ecstatic with the accuracy of this system. RAZER can now be produced faster and cheaper, while also being more operable for the customer,” he stated.
Interest in the concept has been expressed by global customers, with discussions under way on how best to tailor the munition for different operational needs. “We have a future growth path with RAZER,” MacLaren said. “It could include adding seeker technology to be able to hit moving targets, and potentially a rocket assisted take-off version for land launch, to help strike further and with greater accuracy. Electronic Warfare payloads are also a possibility given the breadth of payloads RAZER can carry.”
