At this week’s IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi, China’s Aerospace Long-March International Trade Co, Ltd (ALIT) revealed the Fei Teng FT-12, a precision-guided glide bomb with rocket boosters.
Though the 1550 lb FT-12 has been reported previously, the addition of rockets to the projectile is new. The latest version of the FT-12 was completed about a year ago, according to IHS Jane’s, adding that a small number was purchased by a "Chinese customer."
A "5-10 kg" (11-22 lbs) rocket motor was added by designers at the China Academy of Launch Technology, to add value to the series. A 375-620 mph release velocity gives the FT-12 a maximum range of some 93 miles, according to an ALIT brochure, but this would depend both on the altitude of the launch and the size of the rocket booster.
Guided by a GPS/INS system it can also engage fixed targets with a 65-foot circle of error probability (CEP).
According to the IDEX website, the exhibition is "the only international defence exhibition and conference in the MENA region demonstrating the latest technology across land, sea and air sectors of defence. It is a unique platform to establish and strengthen relationships with government departments, businesses and armed forces throughout the region."
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.