General Dynamics to bid for USMC PERM

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics, announced today that it will bid on the US Marine Corps' Precision Extended Range Mortar (PERM) program as a prime contractor.

General Dynamics has successfully demonstrated key PERM-enabling technologies, including its 120mm Roll Control Guided Mortar (RCGM) and a 17 km extended-range rocket-assisted mortar. These combined technologies will meet the Marine Corps' requirement for a 16 km extended range GPS guided mortar fired from the M327 weapon system. As the long-time incumbent EFSS ammunition contractor, General Dynamics is uniquely qualified to integrate critical subsystems and guidance technologies for an EFSS PERM solution.

Michael Wilson, president of General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, said, "Our approach leverages our successful RCGM technology, our expertise in warhead technology and our extended-range rocket-assisted mortar development work. We are confident that we can provide the lowest-risk approach while offering a mature system that is an effective, reliable and truly affordable precision mortar."

The 120mm RCGM is a low-cost guided mortar that employs a standard M934A1 mortar warhead and M734A1 fuze components, and patented Roll-Controlled Fix Canard (RCFC) technology. It uses GPS guidance to provide an effective, truly affordable precision-strike capability. In March 2011, General Dynamics successfully guided 120mm mortar rounds to less than 10 m CEP (a measure of a weapon system's precision) at both minimum and maximum range in test firings at the Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. All live test rounds detonated successfully and were demonstrated in proximity, point detonate and delay fuze modes. In October 2009, the company also successfully demonstrated 120mm rocket-assisted mortars fired from the M327 rifled mortar at ranges from 17 to 18 km.

Source: General Dynamics