Precision guidance kit for Canadian regiment

The 1st Regiment of the Canadian Army’s Royal Canadian Horse Artillery started integrating Orbital ATK precision guidance kit at its base in Shilo, Manitoba starting from the first week of November 2016.

The integration of the kit, which is used in place of the current fuse on a conventional artillery shell, transforms the ammunition rounds into GPS-guided ones. The kit enables in-flight changes to the trajectory, enabling more precise target engagement.

The kit aims to improve the accuracy of an unguided projectile and reduce the risk of collateral damage and ammunition requirements. It uses conventional rounds and the in-service M777C1 Howitzer field artillery gun with its advanced digital fire control system. The kit can be fixed on the top of a conventional artillery projectile similar to an in-service artillery fuse.

The precision guidance kit initiative is expected to close out in 2018, and its approximate cost is forecast at $20.91 million. This includes the integration of the kit technology with the Canadian M777C1, and the cost of buying the M795 projectiles and guidance kit fuses.