Excalibur S strikes moving targets
Raytheon’s new Excalibur S precision-guided munition has been successfully tested in test firings carried out by the US Navy.
The testing saw the munition strike moving targets, validating its ability to survive the shock and stress of a howitzer firing, then transition from GPS to laser guidance and hit a moving target.
Excalibur S uses the Excalibur Ib variant's GPS technology and incorporates a semi-active laser seeker to engage mobile land and maritime targets at comparable ranges. Existing Ib projectiles can be upgraded with Excalibur S capabilities.
Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president, said: ‘Using artillery to engage moving targets gives soldiers more flexibility. Artillery is typically used to hit stationary objects, but Excalibur S expands the capability of artillery on the battlefield.’
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
Dedicated drone munitions could unlock modular mission potential
Top attacks have proven effective against heavily armoured vehicles in Ukraine. A new family of uncrewed aerial system-delivered munitions is looking to press that advantage further.
-
Germany signs multi-billion-dollar deals for 6x6 CAVS and GDELS Eagle vehicles
The order is a further boost for the Common Armoured Vehicles System programme which has notched notable successes in the past 12 months. The first vehicle, made in Finland, will be delivered next year with local production expected to ramp up in 2027.
-
Rheinmetall and KNDS tank tie-up narrows trans-European options
The French and German governments signed an agreement in June 2018 to cooperate on the development of a new main battle tank under the Main Ground Combat System programme but the effort has struggled. This new agreement may damage it further.