TUCSON, Ariz., 5 Oct. 2009. Raytheon Co. in Tucson, Ariz., is providing Excalibur Ia-2 155-millimeter precision-guided munitions for U.S. Army artillery systems under terms of a $73.3 million U.S. Army contract announced late last week.
Excalibur Ia-2 is the next generation of GPS guided projectiles for U.S. Army and Marine Corps artillery. Using GPS guidance technology, Excalibur rounds provide warfighters with an accurate first-round, fire-for-effect capability in cities and towns.
Fire for effect refers to bringing large amounts of artillery rounds and other ordinance onto the enemy quickly to hinder movement as well as to break up offensive formations and defensive works.
"Instead of focusing on CEP (circular error probable) that allows for target misses up to 60 meters (196 feet), we're redefining what precision means to the warfighter today," says Steve Bennett, Raytheon's Excalibur program director. "Precision means consistently influencing the target within 10 meters (32 feet). Excalibur provides the warfighter with precision that is essential to the protection of civilians and combat forces."
Raytheon demonstrated the Excalibur Ia-1's inertial measurement unit by firing nine shots without a miss. Recent Excalibur Ia-2 testing demonstrated precision well within 32 feet of the target.
For more information contact Raytheon online at www.raytheon.com.
-- Posted by John Keller, [email protected]. www.milaero.com.
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