AUSTIN, Texas - BAE Systems has been selected for the U.S. Army’s Soft Kill Active Protection System (APS) effort, which the company describes as a program of record for equipping combat vehicles with electronic warfare-based defensive systems designed to defeat incoming threats such as uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and anti-tank guided missiles.
The award is being executed under Other Transaction number W56HZV-23-9-D001 through the National Advanced Mobility Consortium (NAMC). The Other Transaction Authority (OTA) pathway is intended to accelerate the development and transition of survivability technologies for Army ground combat platforms.
The program centers on BAE Systems’ Rapid Optical Observation and Kill (ROOK) system, which uses electronic countermeasures to confuse or jam threat guidance systems before weapons reach a vehicle. The soft-kill approach is intended to complement hard-kill active protection systems by preserving kinetic interceptors while providing a high-capacity, non-kinetic defensive layer.
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The effort aligns with the U.S. Army’s Modular Active Protection System (MAPS) architecture initiative, which is designed to enable open-system integration of sensors, countermeasures, and survivability technologies across multiple vehicle platforms.
"Modern ground warfare demands a layered defense, and soft-kill technologies are a critical, complementary component," said Dave Gillespie, director of Optics and Countermeasure Solutions at BAE Systems. "ROOK offers a cost-effective, sustainable defense with an infinite magazine depth, continuously disrupting enemy systems."
Countering threats
The agreement also supports the continued development of the company’s Stormcrow and TERRA RAVEN countermeasure systems, as well as prototype deliveries for vehicle integration and testing.
BAE Systems officials say the company’s vehicle protection systems combine sensors, electronic warfare countermeasures, and AI-enabled automation and autonomy capabilities to reduce crew workload and improve battlefield survivability.
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The system architecture includes networks of longwave infrared camera sensors designed to provide 360-degree situational awareness and early threat warning in low-visibility environments. The architecture also supports AI-enabled automation and autonomy for manned and uncrewed ground vehicle operations.
Soft-kill active protection technologies use electronic warfare, laser, and electro-optical countermeasures to disrupt or deceive incoming threats rather than physically intercepting them, complementing hard-kill intercept systems.
BAE Systems develops and manufactures its vehicle protection systems in Austin, Texas, with research and development support in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Financial terms of the OTA agreement, production quantities, delivery schedules, and specific Army vehicle platforms involved were not disclosed.
