2025 ARSGM Industry Days 7-15-25 fnl - Public Release Version.pdf

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time

CUI

CUI

Program Executive Office Missiles And Space https://www.army.mil/peoms#org-contact-us

PEO Missiles and Space

Hydra 70mm Rocket Systems Industry Day

16 JULY 2025

Controlled by: SFAE-MSL- TAA CUI Category(ies): CT Distribution Statement: D POC: Author’s Name, Phone #

JAMES S. LAWSON

LTC, AV

Product Manager, Aviation Rockets and Small Guided Munitions Tactical Aviation and Ground Munitions

DISTRIBUTION A: Public Release https://www.army.mil/peoms#org-contact-us https://www.army.mil/peoms#org-contact-us https://www.army.mil/peoms#org-contact-us https://www.army.mil/peoms#org-contact-us https://www.army.mil/peoms#org-contact-us

Hydra-70 Industry Day Agenda

Time Topic Presenter

0900-0905 Welcome & Admin Remarks Mr Jonathan Brown, Deputy PdM ARSGM Johnnie Irby, ACC

0905-0920 Purpose Mr Craig Riedel, PM TAGM

0920-0935 Hydra-70 Program Overview LTC Jim Lawson, PdM ARSGM

0935-0950 Hydra-70 Technical Overview Mr Jonathan Brown, Deputy PdM ARSGM

0950-1005 ACM-RA COL Ashley Lee, ACM-RA

1005-1045 BREAK and NETWORKING

1045-1100 Air Force Mr Luke Ausley Mr Matt Harris

1100-1115 PMA-242 Discussion CDR Jim “LAMBOH” Wrightson, PMA-242

1115-1130 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment CW4 Jason Brown, ARSOAC

1130-1150 PEO Missiles and Space Remarks MG Frank Lozano, PEO M&S

1150-1200 Q&A Responses and Way Ahead LTC Jim Lawson, PdM ARSGM

Disclaimer

The remarks of Government officials involved in this Hydra-70 Industry Day should not be considered a guarantee of the

Government’s course of action in proceeding with the program.

The information provided today reflects current Government intentions and is subject to change based on a variety of circumstances, including input from prospective contractors and the availability of funds.

Ground Rules

• Industry Quads and White Paper responses are for information only

• NO photos or videos of the presentation or presenters is authorized

• Copies of the brief will be distributed to attendees following the conclusion of this event

• For Q&A, all Industry questions & Government responses have been curated from your prior submissions

• No answers given will be considered official or binding on the part of the Government

Only a Formal Solicitation will Reflect the Government’s Requirement

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 4

MR. CRAIG RIEDEL

PM TACTICAL AVIATION AND GROUND MUNITIONS

Purpose

CLARIFY INTENT - The USG wants industry partners who are capable and interested in producing Hydra-70 rockets

PROMOTE AWARENESS - Recent Executive Orders and SECDEF level priorities/memoranda have underscored the need for a robust and resilient U.S. Defense Industrial Base

TAKE ACTION - Today’s Hydra-70 Industry Day and request for industry white papers is the first step in this process

The U.S. Government is seeking interested industry partners capable of producing the Hydra-70mm 2.75inch rocket system as per the U.S.

Government-owned Technical Data Package (TDP) OR producing “Hydra-like” prototype capabilities o Your white papers will inform the Army’s contracting strategy/strategies for future procurement of Hydra-70 rocket systems

The U.S. Army alone fires over 117,000 Hydra-70 rockets per year in training

Hydra-70, in its guided configuration (with an APKWS guidance section), has become a very popular low-cost kinetic counter UAS solution

Hydra-70 is still of great relevance on today’s battlefield

Hydra is a critical weapon system for the Joint Warfighter!

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PEO Introduction

LTC JIM LAWSON

PDM, AVIATION ROCKETS AND SMALL GUIDED MUNITIONS

Hydra-70 Rocket Systems

Hydra-70 Warheads

Hydra-70 All Up Round Hydra-70 Launchers

M255A2 Flechette M264 Red Phosphorus Smoke M257 Visible Illumination Flare M278 Infrared Illumination Flare M229 17lb HE M151 10lb HE WTU 1/B 10lb HE, Practice (inert) M274 10lb HE, Practice (smoke) M156 White Phosphorus Smoke

M255A2 M264 M257 M278 M229 M151 WTU 1/B M274 M156

Hydra-70 with Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS)

Hydra-70 Users

AH-64

OH-58

AH-1W/Z

Eurocopter Tiger

MH-60 Seahawk

Little Bird

CWS-A

U.S. Army

U.S.

Air Force U.S. Marines

U.S. Navy

Foreign Military Sales

Special Operations Command

F-16

A-10

F-18

MH60DAP

VAMPIRE

EAGLS

MI-24

MD530

MADIS

Stryker

UH-1Y

F-15

Customer Base

• 33+ countries utilize Hydra-70

• 23+ active Foreign Military Sale partners

• Multiple air and ground platforms

• Direct Commercial Sale potential

ARSGM is the Executive Procurement Agent for all DoD and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procurements of Hydra-70

Hydra-70 is an Acquisition Category (ACAT) 1C in Production & Deployment

Over the last ten years, more than 1.7 Million Hydra rockets have been fired in training, test, and combat operations

Over the last 20 years, more than 3.4 Million Hydra rockets have been produced and delivered to the Warfighter

The current Hydra-70 max production rate is 330,000 rockets per year

Hydra-70 Program Overview

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 11

MR. JONATHAN BROWN

DEPUTY PDM, AVIATION ROCKETS AND SMALL GUIDED MUNITIONS

Hydra-70 Evolution

Hydra-70 Warheads

System Description Characteristics

M274 smoke signature training warhead provides a ballistic match for the M151 HE warhead.

Utilized by the Army for training. Utilized by the Army for training.

M278 is designed for battlefield target illumination in conjunction with infrared (IR) goggles.

It will provide IR light for approximately 3 minutes (+/- 30 seconds). IR flare will provide IR light for 3 minutes

M257 is designed for battlefield target illumination. It will illuminate approximately 1 square mile, for approximately 3 minutes (+/- 30 seconds). Flare burns for approximately 180 seconds

M264 provides a screening effect with provided performance in hot temperature conditions.

14 rockets will establish a smoke concentration across 300-400 meters for 5 minutes in 10 knot wind.

Used for smoke obscuration in the visible light spectrum

M156 is a ballistic match to the M151 and provides a white smoke marking signal for approximately 2 minutes depending upon wind conditions. Target marking and incendiary purposes

M255A2 warhead consists of sixty-grain flechettes and a Night Reliability Indicator that enables flechette deployment detection when wearing night vision goggles. Primarily for anti-personnel.

Anti-materiel (command and control facilities, logistics facilities), anti-personnel, air defense systems (mobile and fixed), and light armor (wheeled and track)

M151 HE is a 10 lb. high-explosive, anti-personnel, anti-material warhead. The bursting radius is 10 meters; however, high velocity fragments can produce a lethality radius in excess of 50 meters.

Anti-materiel, anti-personnel, air defense systems (mobile and fixed), and light armor (wheeled and track)

M151 High Explosive (HE) WHD*

9.3 lbs. 16.2 inches

M274 Practice WHD

9.3 lbs. 16.2 inches

M255A2 Flechette WHD

14.0 lbs. 26.9 inches

M278 IR Illumination WHD

11.0 lbs. 29.1 inches

M257 Illumination WHD

11.0 lbs. 29.1 inches

M264 Red Phosphorus (RP) WHD

8.6 lbs. 26.9 inches

M156 White Phosphorus (WP) WHD

9.7 lbs. 16.2 inches

*M229 - 17lb HE variant is available but is not standard

Army issue.

Hydra-70 Technical Data Package

• Hydra-70 is a legacy weapon system in production since the 1960s

• The Technical Data Package (TDP) is Government-owned and has been updated through the years to

– Incorporate design changes

– Mitigate obsolescence

– Improve producibility

• Your change recommendations are welcome and may be included in your white paper responses

• Government is also interested in modernizing the TDP to current manufacturing standards

• For the purposes of this white paper response, assume the Government will provide the rocket motor grain/propellant

Building to the TDP enables immediate battlefield capability– no requalification of the munition or additional integration for existing platforms.

Alternative Design Submissions

• Alternative design submissions are welcome

– Build business case for adoption to offset qualification and integration costs

• Should follow a similar modular approach:

– Multiple warheads utilizing a common motor

» Threshold warheads: high explosive, flechette, training with and without smoke indicator

– Compatible with APKWS guidance section & M261 launcher

– Threshold Max Range:

» Guided: 7KM » Unguided: 8KM

Alternative designs will require qualification of the munition and platform integration.

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 16

COL ASHLEY LEE

ARMY CAPABILITY MANAGER, RECONNAISSANCE AND ATTACK

End-User to Requirements Manager

Lethality Ranges

2. 30MM HEDP / PROX

1. SLS

3. HELLFIRE / JAGM / JAGM-MR

4. Launched Effects

5. Hydra / Hydra II

6. APKWS / APKWS PROX

SPIKE NLOS (currently fielded 3 Bn’s)

0m 40km16km 50km3km 8km 10km 20km 30km

Infantry

Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Armor

Artillery

Integrated Air Defenses

2025 2030 2035 2040

1. Single Launcher System – Replaces M299 and compatible with current and future munitions

2. 30mm Prox – gives additional capability against FAC’s and FIAC’s, light skin vehicles, limited cUAS

3. Joint Air Ground Missile – Medium Range (JAGM-MR) –Addresses need on range gap for armor defended by IADs

4. Launched Effects – Medium Range (Lethal) – Replaces SPIKE NLOS and give us extended Range against IADs

5. Hydra II – Increases Capability with Hydra II while replacing Hydra I and extend range

6. APKWS Prox (Counter-UAS role)

CURRENT CAPABILITY GAP (Threat Overmatch)

PROX

HYDRA II

PROX

JAGM MR

0m 40km16km 50km3km 8km 10km 20km 30km

Est. Fielding Timeline

FACs, FIACs

VS.

Lethality Priorities

Hydra-70 Operational Concept

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 20

BREAK & NETWORKING

(PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR SEATS BY 1045 CST)

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 21

MR. LUKE AUSLEY

AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY

MR. MATT HARRIS

AIR FORCE LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT CENTER

AGR-20 Air-to-Air

• 2019 shots

FALCO – AGR-20F

(Fixed-wing Air-Launched Counter-UAS Ordnance)

AGR-20F adds proximity fuze and air-to-air optimized guidance and sensing algorithms

Chart(s) Placeholder

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 27

CDR JIM “LAMBOH” WRIGHTSON

PMA-242, DIRECT AND TIME SENSITIVE STRIKE PROGRAM OFFICE

APKWS II

APKWS II is a Semi-Active Laser (SAL) guidance kit added to the current 2.75-inch Hydra-70 Rocket System to provide a low cost, precise, low collateral damage weapon

• Manufactured by BAE Systems

• Minimal aircraft integration

• Proven 90% combat reliability

• Increased Kills/Sortie: up to 76 per sortie

AUR field assembly Tube loading of LAU-68F/A UH-1Y firing

Low Cost, Precise, Low Collateral Damage Weapon

System Description

M423 Fuze (M151)

– or –

M435 Fuze

(MK152)

M151

– or –

MK152

HE Warhead

WGU-59/B

Mid-Body Guidance Section

MK66 Mod 4 Solid Rocket

Motor

• APKWS II All-Up-Round (AUR) consists of:

• Mk66 Mod 4 Rocket Motor

• WGU-59/B Guidance Section (APKWS II)

• Mk152 or M151 High Explosive Warhead

• Mk435 (Mk152) or M423 (M151) Point Detonating Fuze

• Extended Length Launcher

• LAU-68F/A (7 Tube)

• LAU-61G/A (19 Tube)

• Shipping and Storage Container

• CNU-711/E (4 WGU-59/B Guidance Sections only)

7-Tube LAU-68 F/A Launcher Shipping and Storage Container CNU-711/E

System Description

APKWS II System Overview Laser Source

NTS GLD FLIR

Launch Platform

Target

Platforms

Qualified Platforms

• AH-1W

• AH-1Z

• UH-1Y

• MH-60 R/S

• A-10C

• F-16

• AV-8B

• F/A-18 C-D

• VAMPIRE

– Vehicle Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment (Ukraine)

• STAKE

– Surface to Air Kinetic Engagement

• EAGLS

– Electronic Advanced Ground Launcher

System

• GBAD

– Ground Based Air Defense

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 33

CW4 JASON BROWN

REGIMENTAL STANDARDIZATION PILOT

160TH SPECIAL OPERATIONS AVIATION REGIMENT

160th SOAR (A) HYDRA-70 ROCKET USAGE

WHY UNGUIDED ROCKETS?

• Low-cost flexible munition

• Bridges gap between gun and precision-guided munitions (PGM)

• Decreased reaction time

– Direct fire

– Shorter employment range

• Proficiency requirements all for precise delivery

• Can become a PGM as needed (ex, APKWS)

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 36

TYPICAL 160th SOAR (A) ROCKETS TYPES

HIGH VOLUME EXPENDITURE JUSTIFICATION

• Commonly shooting very close to supported forces

– USASOC 385-1

– Unit METL Task requirements

• High level of proficiency required to prevent fratricide

– Expected by supported forces, regardless of environment

– Repetition creates muscle memory

• High demand for realistic live fire training

– Frequent internal live fire training provides base level proficiency

– Joint live fire exercises demonstrate capabilities

– Creates trust carried forward to the battlefield

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 38

MG FRANK J. LOZANO

PROGRAM EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MISSILES AND SPACE

PEO Remarks

Low Cost

High Firing Volume

Improved Producibility

Reliable Performance

JOINT EFFORT

• Critical capability for aviation lethality across all services

• Expanding its use case on the battlefield as novel and emerging employment methods

• Leveraging industry’s innovation and driving value into this weapon system

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 40

LTC JIM LAWSON

PDM, AVIATION ROCKETS AND SMALL GUIDED MUNITIONS

RFI Questions Received

• Is there any willingness to use a reduced smoke propellant vs. the legacy Hydra70 min smoke double base?

– The min smoke requirement traces to before modern requirements, but current conventional thinking is min smoke is necessary for platform signature reduction on the battlefield.

• Can you provide 3-D files for the Hydra-70 TDP and its subsystem components?

– The Hydra-70 TDP is currently only 2-D. We are working to make parts of it 3-D and are open to efforts to modernize the TDP.

• Is there a propellant grain drawing in the TDP?

– It was excluded from the TDP due to the MK 90 grain being provided as GFM per Paragraph C of the Sources

Sought.

RFI Questions Received (continued)

• Can you provide us with the approved vendor list for key components/subsystems?

– No. This is a tasking that a prime contractor must undertake. Some drawings in the TDP reference recommended sources of supply for the materials, but those are recommendations only.

• Is there a Critical Item Fabrication Specification (CIFS) or any other work instructions or assembly requirement?

– No. This type of information is in the TDP provided.

• Do the warheads/components include Navy Munitions Documents (NMDs)?

– Navy warheads/components were provided as part of the TDP.

• Do you have a Critical Characteristic List?

– Critical Characteristics can be found in the TDP.

• Can you provide a high-level process map of the assembly of the key components, sub-systems, and/or system

– The government is not prescriptive on assembly of key components that is the prime’s responsibility. TDP was provided.

• Is there a requirement for a Critical Characteristic Control Plan?

– This would be included in a Statement of Work.

• Do any of the of the critical characteristics have Critical Plan of Action (CPOA)?

– This would be included in a Statement of Work.

• What is the First Article Test Plan & Lot Acceptance Test Plan?

– This would be included in a Statement of Work.

• Will the chosen vendor be required to maintain production capacity for the minimum sustained rate of 125,000 rockets annually, across all variants of the Hydra-70 rocket?

– The expectation would be to meet and/or exceed this minimum.

• What is the anticipated lead time for ramp up for the selected vendor to meet the minimum capacity required?

– The government would work with the vendor based on program maturity.

• The submittal date for the RFI White Paper (WP) does not include a time (i.e. 17:00, 5PM CDT , Midnight etc.) designation for submittal.

– Midnight CST

• No cover page is indicated for the submittal. May a cover page for the following items be utilized (and not counted toward total page count) a) Company Name, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS), and (physical/mailing) address of the contractor.

Points of contact including name, title, phone number, and email address.

– A cover page can be included and will not count towards the page count

• Can a contractor submit more than one RFI response?

– Yes.

Way Ahead

The USG is seeking additional industry partners capable of producing Hydra-70 as per the TDP

Submit your White Papers by 15 August 2025

Organizations who submit white papers will be offered one-on-one briefing opportunities with the USG

Be on the lookout for a Hydra-70 prototyping OTA this Fall via the Aviation and Missiles Technology Consortium (AMTC)

PEO MISSILES AND SPACE l Any Warfighter - Anywhere - All The Time 47

Closing Remarks

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING

THE HYDRA-70 INDUSTRY DAY