Article Posted on : - Feb 07, 2011

The Archer system. A BAE photo

PARIS (BNS): French defence company Sagem has received a contract from UK's BAE Systems to provide the Sigma 30 pointing and navigation systems for the FH77 L52 Archer artillery guns to be delivered to the Swedish and Norwegian armies.

Under the deal, Sagem will supply the Singma 30 systems for 48 new Archers.

Service entry is slated for late 2011 with the Nordic Battalion, Sagem said.

Sigma 30, the laser gyro land navigation and pointing system for artillery pieces, enables highly accurate firing on short notice.

The inertial system will be mounted directly on the Archer which is a self-propelled fully automated, latest-generation artillery system. Equipped with a 155 mm / 52 caliber gun, Archer is capable of high rates of fire, with three-shot salvos in 13 seconds, to a range of 40 km.

Integrated in the artillery command and coordination systems, Sigma 30 will also enable Archer a wide range of firing options, in particular simultaneous strikes against a single target, Sagem said.

Sagem has also supplied the Sigma 30 systems for some of the leading artillery systems including the Caesar 155 mm truck-mounted howitzer, MLRS multiple launch rocket systems deployed by NATO countries, and the 2R2M 120 mm mobile mortar.