HUNTSVILLE — A new guidance kit for artillery has passed a crucial test, BAE Systems announced.
The Long-Range Precision Guidance Kit for 155mm artillery projectiles was used in the Army’s Extended Range Cannon Artillery at Yuma (Ariz.) Proving Ground. The success demonstrates airframe structural survivability under extreme firing conditions, BAE said.
“The LR-PGK has demonstrated its ability to help the U.S. Army deliver accurate fires up to 70 kilometers and meet mission objectives with fewer shots,” said James McDonough, LR-PGK program director. “Adding precision guidance to standard munitions enables our customers to engage targets with greater efficiency and reduce collateral damage.”
BAE Systems’ Long-Range Precision Guidance Kit (BAE Systems contributed/BusinessWire; 256 Today)The LR-PGK improves the accuracy of unguided artillery projectiles with low-cost navigation and guidance technology.
The guidance kit combines anti-jam GPS sensors with control planes that enable projectile maneuverability throughout flight. It is compatible with current and future artillery projectiles.
The ERCA survivability tests are a critical milestone for LR-PGK, the company said. The propellant blast, gun barrel pressure, and muzzle velocity tested the system’s resiliency.
The evolving LR-PGK is helping the Army address its need for long-range precision fires. BAE Systems continues to advance the system design to improve capabilities, manufacturing readiness, and affordability.
Following the tests, the company is focusing on long-range guidance, navigation, and projectile flight control. The kits must demonstrate their ability to operate at high spin rates, in challenging atmospheric conditions, and in the presence of enemy signal-jamming.
BAE Systems, which has facilities in Huntsville, designs and manufactures the M109 family of Self-Propelled Howitzers and the M777 Lightweight Towed Howitzer. The company is a major supplier of artillery explosives and propellants and has decades of experience developing and delivering precision guidance systems.
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