laststandonzombieisland

PACIFIC OCEAN (June 9, 2017) An AV-8B Harrier assigned to the “Tomcats” of Marine Attack Squadron 311 takes off from the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) while underway in the Pacific Ocean. During the flight the Harrier’s pilot fired the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), a laser-guided rocket, for the first time in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System turns a standard unguided 2.75-inch (70 millimeter) rocket into a precision laser-guided rocket to give warfighters a low-cost surgical strike capability. The Tomcats are the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit’s fixed-wing attack asset and are attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), the 31st MEU’s Aviation Combat Element. The 31st MEU partners with the Navy’s Amphibious Squadron 11 to form amphibious component of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike group.

(U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Garett Burns/Released) 170609-M-DC758-001