BAE Systems wins infra red artillery round development contract
BAE Systems has won two contracts worth £7.2 million for 105mm artillery illuminating shells from the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD).
One is for 6000 105mm Luma illumination rounds to be delivered during 2011-2012. BAE Systems’ Weapons business has supplied this round to the MoD since 2003.
The other is to develop an infra-red (IR) version of the Luma round where the target area is only illuminated to troops equipped with night vision goggles.
If tests being conducted later this year are successful, the latter contract will likely lead to the purchase of five-digit quantities of ammunition by the end of this year to meet current requirements in Afghanistan.
With a production order, Luma IR final assembly will be brought in-house to the Weapons facility in Karlskoga. The chemical part of the round will be subcontracted to Chemring Defence in the UK.
BAE Systems’ UK Munitions business will supply the charge system (L35 Cart Normal) directly to UK MoD under the existing MASS munitions supply contract.
Munitions recently qualified an 81mm IR mortar bomb for use by UK forces under an Urgent Operational Requirement.
Source: BAE Systems
More from Land Warfare
-
![DroneShield signs agreements and US contract in the face of surging demand]()
DroneShield signs agreements and US contract in the face of surging demand
DroneShield has been at the forefront of CUAS capability despite being founded only 12 years ago. The company’s early move into the counter-drone arena has put it on the crest of the rapidly expanding technology field.
-
![June land forces roundup: Eurosatory shapes month amid Canada’s HIMARS buy and US JLTV progress]()
June land forces roundup: Eurosatory shapes month amid Canada’s HIMARS buy and US JLTV progress
This month’s land forces highlights were dominated by the eventful Eurosatory exhibition, particularly in the area of tanks, while separately the JLTV programme took another twist and Canada opted for HIMARS.
-
![Eurosatory 2026 roundup: uncrewed, counter-uncrewed and new vehicles define direction]()
Eurosatory 2026 roundup: uncrewed, counter-uncrewed and new vehicles define direction
Uncrewed and counter-uncrewed systems were a major feature of this edition of Eurosatory 2026 along with programme updates and first sight of new main battle tanks.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: As MGCS stalls, has Europe’s new MBT been unveiled?]()
Eurosatory 2026: As MGCS stalls, has Europe’s new MBT been unveiled?
Eurosatory 2026 saw a number of main battle tanks on display, including two new platforms which could be the future of European tanks.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: MARSS and parent company EOS expand air defence capability]()
Eurosatory 2026: MARSS and parent company EOS expand air defence capability
MARSS became part of EOS Defence earlier this year, bringing together the former’s C2 NiDAR and Nation Shield air defence products with the latter’s suite of effectors and sensors.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Pearson Engineering to send AI mine detecting systems into Ukraine]()
Eurosatory 2026: Pearson Engineering to send AI mine detecting systems into Ukraine
Pearson Engineering’s Threat-Sense system is designed to use imaging from drones to geolocate scattered mines and support uncrewed systems in defeating the threats.
