Excalibur

Excalibur is the next-generation family of projectiles for U.S. Army and Marine Corps artillery. Excalibur is an artillery projectile that uses satellite guidance to provide precision accuracy for all current and future 155-mm howitzers. Excalibur produces a wide range of effects in all terrains, at extended ranges and in all-weather conditions.

In November 2004, the Raytheon Missile Systems and BAE Systems Excalibur teams successfully fired an Excalibur round to a target 20 kilometers down range, impacting 3.4 meters from the aim point. In December 2004, the program proved reliability by repeating the test and impacting within 6.9 meters.

The current variant has a minimum range of 7.5 kilometers and can be fired as far as 24 km. The Excalibur projectile also has a better than 10-meter accuracy, which is the current requirement.

Successful First Article and Sequential Environmental Test-Safety (SET-S) tests in 2006 validated the performance, safety and reliability of the Excalibur under a full spectrum of environmental conditions.

More recently, Excalibur successfully completed a Limited User Test in Yuma, Ariz. According to industry officials, having passed this final testing phase demonstrated that Excalibur was ready for early fielding. Inside the Army reports that the 155-mm precision artillery shell was successfully fired in combat for the first time in May 2007. Two consecutive rounds of the XM982 Excalibur penetrated an observation post in an insurgent safehouse.

According to DVIDS, Soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 7th Calvary Regiment and the 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment had the honor of firing Excalibur’s historic first round in combat. A commander with the 1st Bn., 82nd FA told DVIDS, “Troopers of the 1-82 have all been working really hard waiting for this day. They are thrilled and honored to get to be the ones to shoot it.”

Due to its precision, the 50-lb. Excalibur round reduces the diameter of expected damage from a conventional artillery attack by more than half -- from about 500 meters to about 200 meters. Such precision will certainly help field artillerymen in their fight against insurgents.

Learn more about Excalibur.