Article Posted on : - Mar 09, 2011

The illustration depicts an XM395 Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative round closing in on a target. Photo: US Army.

ARLINGTON (BNS): US Soldiers in Afghanistan will receive a first-of-its kind, GPS-guided 120mm mortar munition that can pinpoint targets at ranges up to 6,300 meters, service officials said.

The precision rounds were recently test-fired at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.

"The testing involved a significant amount of firing and safety requirements. The overall reliability of the round is meeting its requirement of greater than 90 percent. The testing, which has been going on since last fall, has gone extremely well," Bruce Kay, Department of the Army systems coordinator, Mortar Systems, said.

"This provides the commander with immediate response precision indirect- fire capability," he added.

Overall, the US Army plans to deliver 5,480 APMI rounds to the US soldiers in Afghanistan.