Article Posted on : - Apr 23, 2011

Excalibur is a 155 mm precision-guided artillery round. A US Army file photo.

TUCSON (BNS): Raytheon Company received a $173 million US Army fiscal year 2010 contract for the production of Excalibur precision-guided projectile rounds for in-theater use. This contract marks the beginning of full rate production for Excalibur Ia-2.

"Warfighters need Excalibur because it provides a level of precision they simply cannot get with other artillery rounds. Excalibur's GPS precision makes it ideal in all terrain types, including urban settings and rugged terrain where our soldiers and Marines are close to the target," Col. Michael Hartig, U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, was quoted as saying in a news release.

Excalibur is a 155 mm precision-guided artillery round with extended range that is currently in use with the US Army and Marine Corps.

Using GPS precision guidance technology, Excalibur provides first round fire-for-effect capability with accuracy well within 10 meters (32.8 feet) of its target. This accuracy protects warfighters in close proximity to the target and provides an unprecedented precision engagement capability.

Excalibur precision-guided projectiles give warfighters life-saving options when close air support is unavailable. With more than 300 rounds fired in theater, the US Army and Marine Corps have increased their use of Excalibur in the past year.

In August 2010, the U.S. Army awarded Raytheon a contract to complete the design of the Excalibur Ib precision-guided projectile. Excalibur Ib provides the lowest- risk approach to reducing the projectile's cost by an estimated 50 percent, while leveraging the demonstrated performance of Excalibur Ia, the release added.

"From early fielding of Excalibur Ia-1, it has been our commitment to continually develop this capability so that it provides a greater, more affordable benefit to the warfighter," said Michelle Lohmeier, vice president of Raytheon's Land Combat product line.