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By Neil Baumgardner
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.-- Northrop Grumman (NOC) this week is delivering the first 26 of 78 Brilliant Anti-armor (BAT) munitions ordered by the Army for use with Hunter unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as part of a quick reaction capability (QRC) and is also preparing to test a new BAT variant known as "Viper Strike" equipped with a semi-active laser seeker, according to a company official.
"Delivery is ongoing," Ron Nenner, Northrop Grumman's business development manager for BAT, yesterday told reporters during a briefing at the Association of the United States Army's annual winter symposium here. "By (tomorrow), we will have ready 26 BATs with their BUETs (BAT UAV ejection tube) ready to go."
The new developments come after Congress moved last year to cut $145 million from BAT funding in the FY '03 Defense Appropriations Act and instead directed that $45 million be used...