The cannon-launched projectile can now engage moving targets
Raytheon’s new Excalibur S precision-guided munition scored direct hits on moving targets in a U.S. Navy test, say the firm.
“Testing validated the projectile’s ability to survive the shock and stress of a howitzer firing, then transition from GPS to laser guidance and hit a moving target. Excalibur S uses the Excalibur Ib variant’s GPS technology and incorporates a semi-active laser seeker to engage mobile land and maritime targets at comparable ranges. Existing Ib projectiles can be upgraded with Excalibur S capabilities.”
“Using artillery to engage moving targets gives soldiers more flexibility,” said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president.
“Artillery is typically used to hit stationary objects, but Excalibur S expands the capability of artillery on the battlefield.”
The firm say that Excalibur is “a true precision weapon”, impacting at a radial miss distance of less than two meters from the target. Widely used by U.S. and international artillery forces, Excalibur has, say the firm, been fired more than 1,400 times in combat.
Get some please.
wrt to the RN do we have anything to fire them from?
US Navy test? What calibre is this shell? 5 inch?
According to Wikipedia, it is a 155mm shell, but there is a downsized 127mm version that can be fired from a Mk 45 5in gun. So the only RN ship that might be able to use these will be the Type 26.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M982_Excalibur
Ok, we need to purchase these for theType 26 and up gun the Type 31 so it will be able to serve the useful purpose of NGS
It does seem a bit ar$e back’ards to give the superior NGS capabilities of the 5″ to the Type 26, when they are very unlikely to be put at risk by being close to shore. More sense to have stuck with 4.5″ for Type 26s then gone for either the 5″ or 76mm on Type 31s as both can fire guided rounds.
At one point there was going to be 13 x Type 26 so I guess it made sense to build the best ships we could! The Type 31 needs to be upgraded before it’s actually built.
Absolutely. T31s are much largeer than first envisaged & it’s bonkers after years of austerity cuts to add the shorter ranged, pea-shooter 57mm when a decent NGS medium gun is required. T31s, being cheaper & tactically more “expendable”, are the prime candidates for NGS; though with so few FFGs & DDGs we can’t afford to have any incapable. Standardising on one gun(as we did with the 4.5″ & should do with the 5″) is most efficient logistically & on costs. 57mm guns are way too tiny for either anti-ship or NGS.
With 5″ guns on our warships we could use these Excaibur S guided shells when pinpoint accuracy is needed.
Look at the cost of the 5 inch gun installed on T26 and it becomes very obvious why they’re not going on T31…
Indeed, the 76mm was always the way to go.
Then we should either stick with 4.5″, adopt the Bofors 5″, OTO 127mm, the French 3.9″ or use the OTO 76mm, which will give the minimum useful shell weight for NGS. Alternatively we should stump up the money to give our ships the kit needed to cut it in a conflict! Our guys shouldn’t be sent into harms way with one hand tied behind their back. The 57mm is a great system for what it is & would be very good as a far more capable secondary weapon in place of the very limited 30mms we fit, which have virtually… Read more »
The 4.5″ is on the way out as a system.
Bofors now BAE Systems AB do not manufacture and never have marketed a 5″ gun.
Whilst the 100mm French gun is still marketed by GIAT it hasn’t picked up any orders in a while and the French navy appear to favour the Otobreda 76mm these days.
Comparative testing has shown the the BAE Systems AB MK110 57mm gun can put more explosive effect down range quicker than an OTO76. The 3P ammunition is also highly attractive capability wise.
BAE acquired a 5” naval gun, the Mark 45, when they bought United Defense.
I believe the Royal Navy’s original plan was to phase out the 4.5” and introduce the 5” as the standard. So the 13 T26’s would have them and they’d be retrofitted to the T45’s.
Of course since then the T26’s have been cut in number and the budget T31 planned with the 57mm. With the T45’s getting the power units seems to take precedence over fitting more missile cells and a new gun…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/5%22/54_caliber_Mark_45_gun