US Marine Corps orders more Raytheon Excalibur rounds for operational use

Posted by Skyler Frink

TUCSON, AZ. Oct. 25, 2011. The U.S. Marine Corps issued an urgent operational need for 1,037 Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) 155 mm Excalibur extended range, precision-guided artillery projectiles for use in Afghanistan.

Successfully fielded in 2007, Excalibur is a family of precision projectiles for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps artillery. The Marines have significantly increased operational use of Excalibur in the last year, firing as many as 32 rounds in one week.

Using GPS precision guidance technology, Excalibur provides accurate, first round, fire-for-effect capability in an urban setting. Excalibur is considered a true precision weapon, impacting at a radial miss distance of 6 meters from the target.