155mm to Achieve 70+ Kilometres by 2023
BAE Systems has received a multi-year contract from the US Army to further develop its Long Range Precision Guidance Kit (LR-PGK) for 155mm artillery shells, enabling the Army to conduct long-range precision strikes in challenging electromagnetic environments, the company announced on 22 July. The contract is valued at $33 million (€28.5 million).
LR-PGK is a critical element of the Army’s 155mm Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) munitions suite, designed to deliver accurate, lethal fires at greater ranges than near-peer adversaries. The BAE Systems solution builds on proven, mature technology, offering greater performance than current guidance kits through increased manoeuvrability and an incorporated anti-jam capability.
“We’re helping the Army meet its precision strike objectives with this critical long-range artillery capability,” explained John Watkins, the company’s VP of Precision Strike. “Our experience in precision guidance, rugged electronics and artillery platforms has helped us develop a kit that improves mission effectiveness.”
The contract calls on BAE Systems to produce a series of LR-PGK fuzes for live-fire testing, further validating the solution and demonstrating its accuracy and reliability in challenging battlefield conditions. Prior to the award, the company successfully demonstrated LR-PGK capability and performance last September, committing significant investment to deliver on the Army’s modernisation goals by intentionally designing the LR-PGK’s modular architecture for low-cost production and upgradeability.
LR-PGK is one of several BAE Systems programmes that supporting Long Range Precision Fires, one of the Army’s top modernisation priorities. In addition to designing and manufacturing the M109 family of self-propelled howitzers, the company has developed and delivered guidance systems for precision munitions for decades and is a major supplier of artillery round explosives and propellants.
