US Navy tests 5-inch Excalibur precision
Raytheon and the US Navy completed a new round of successful Excalibur N5 munition test firings in the US this week – more than four years after initial testing.
CAPTION: US Navy tests 5-inch Excalibur N5. Raytheon photo.
The precision-guided projectiles, familiar to most Army artillerymen, demonstrated various short-, mid- and long-range capabilities.
Designed to be fired from naval 5-inch guns, Excalibur N5 is the sea-based variant of the 155mm (6.1 inches) extended-range, precision munition used by ground forces around the world, including Australia.
Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president Sam Deneke said Excalibur provided accurate, first-round effects at all ranges in all weather conditions.
“Excalibur N5 answers the Navy’s need for a sea-launched, precision-guided projectile,” Mr Deneke said.
“N5 doubles the range of the Navy’s big guns and delivers the same accuracy as the land-based version.
“Excalibur is a true precision weapon, impacting at a radial miss distance of less than 2 meters from the target.”
Raytheon video
Widely used by US and international artillery forces, Excalibur has been fired more than 1400 times in combat.
The precision-guided projectile was co-developed by Raytheon and BAE Systems Bofors.
Besides N5, Raytheon has developed other variants such as the laser-guided Excalibur S, Excalibur HTK and Excalibur Shaped Charged Trajectory.
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