Raytheon Delivers First Excalibur Production Rounds To The US Army

MILTECH

Raytheon's Excalibur artillery projectile. Credit: Raytheon.

by Staff Writers
Tucson AZ (SPX) Oct 10, 2006
The Raytheon Missile Systems and BAE Systems Bofors' Excalibur team delivered the first production Excalibur global positioning system-guided 155 mm artillery rounds to the U.S. Army Sept. 19, paving the way for the next series of testing required to field the weapon in theater early next year. Final assembly of the projectiles occurred at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, Okla.

"These production rounds put us closer to providing our soldiers with a cannon-launched, precision projectile to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving operational environment," said Raymond Sicignano, U.S. Army deputy product manager for Excalibur. "Excalibur's accuracy and lethality will bring the howitzer into the 21st century to provide the precision and responsiveness required for operations in heavily populated areas."

The delivery of these Excalibur rounds marks the transition of development testing to production testing and user verification. Most remaining tests are in the hands of soldiers who will fire the projectiles in simulated tactical environments with their assigned equipment. Following the successful completion of acceptance testing and limited user testing, the Army will determine if the rounds are ready for deployment in ongoing operations worldwide.

"Delivery of production Excalibur rounds to the U.S. Army is a significant step forward in the fielding of Excalibur," said Jim Riley, vice president of the Raytheon Land Combat product line. "The world's first GPS-guided artillery round is now in the hands of our soldiers for the kind of testing that only they can do. They will tell us if it is ready for combat."

These projectiles are the initial deliveries from the fiscal year 2005 contract. Deliveries from the fiscal year 2006 contract will begin in March 2007.

The Excalibur program currently is responding to an urgent request from the warfighter to accelerate fielding because of the projectile's better than 10-meter (33 feet) accuracy not available from any other artillery projectile. Because of its accuracy and increased effectiveness, Excalibur reduces the logistical burden for deployed ground forces. It also provides lower collateral damage through its concentrated fragmentation pattern, increased precision and near-vertical descent. Excalibur capability provides an essential tool for our warfighters operating in urban and complex terrain.

Excalibur produces a wide range of effects in all terrains at extended ranges and in all weather conditions. With 155 mm howitzers as part of the standard organization in current operations, Excalibur's precision effects are readily available to small-unit maneuver elements.

MILTECH

Scientists Look to Help Soldiers Overcome High Altitude

Natick MA (AFNS) Oct 10, 2006
Scientists at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine are investigating ways to help soldiers adjust to high-altitude environments. Soldiers being sent to Afghanistan are often quickly deployed to high-altitude environments via helicopter, leaving little time for their bodies to adjust and putting them at risk for contracting high-altitude sickness.

SUPERPOWERS Bring Back The Tsar Big Powers To Hold Crucial Meeting On Iran With UN Sanctions In View Russia To Provide Significant Military Aid To Allies Says Ivanov Woes Of Worst Case Analysis Catch Out National Intelligence Estimate	NUKEWARS Key Points Of Proposed US Sanctions Draft On North Korea Nuclear Test Venezuela Condemns North Korea Nuclear Test North Korea May Be Preparing Second Test North Korea Takes The Nuclear Gamble Another Round
MISSILE NEWS BAE Systems Inertial Measurement Unit Selected For New Air-to-air Missile South Korea Develops Cruise Missile Norway Fires Its First Raytheon-Built Evolved SeaSparrow Missile Australia Signs Contract For JASSM Follow On Standoff Weapon	MISSILE DEFENSE Japan Give Ballistic Missile Defence A Boost For Bush Senate Report Urges Canada To Join US Missile Defence Shield Northrop Grumman Completes Payload Acoustic Testing For SBIRS GEO-1 Payload A Ballistic Missile Defense Arms Race
AEROSPACE US Air-Transportation System Must Become More Agile Airbus Sinks Into Chaos Supersonic Shockwaves Add Joust To Air Combat Virgin Galactic Reveals Spacecraft Design	UAV NEWS Boeing Manned/Unmanned Light Helicopter Makes First Flight Live Firing on Dragonfly Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Intelligent Unmanned Aircraft Planned Canada To Buy Thales mini-UAV System
IRAQ WARS Winds Of Change In Iraq Scale Of Iraqi Police Force Infiltration A Known Unknown Civil War Would Engulf Entire Mideast If US Departs Iraq Making Progress In Iraq - Part 2	MILTECH Raytheon Delivers First Excalibur Production Rounds To The US Army Scientists Look to Help Soldiers Overcome High Altitude F-22 Raptor Ready For Its Combat Role New Radar Flies High As Crucial Tests Begin

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement