The M982 Excalibur is a Obus of Artillerie of Caliber 155 mm produced by the American company Raytheon in partnership with the Swedish BAE Systems AB in the past Bofors, subsidiary of the British BAE Systems.

Characteristics

This shell guided by GPS and inertial Guidage has a mass of 48 kg and has a maximum range from 35 to 50 km thanks to its design " base bleed".

It has a Circular error probability of 5 meters to 50 meters when it is used with its maximum range of 50 kms, against more than 300 meters for a conventional shell.

Several versions are available: an explosive unit head, a load with 85 submunitions anti-personnel and one with two anti-tank loads.

This Munition is manufactured in the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, a Usine pertaining to the Department of Defense with McAlester, Oklahoma.

History

This program of Munition called Precision Guided Extended Arranges Artillery Projectile and/or Extended Range Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions with started to be developed in 1998 under the name of XM982 Excalibur in reference to this legendary sword.

The principal interest of Excalibur is to be able to authorize the use of artillery in operations of against Insurrection and in the basic conflicts intensity, in particular in urban area.

With the precision of Excalibur, targets can be fought with a less risk of Collateral damage, and the friendly forces do not have any more, in theory, to take a security distance of at least 200 meters.

An American budget of 1,4 billion dollars was planned for: 30388 specimens ordered by the United States Army which brought it into service in 2006. The Swedish Armée must receive some as from 2010. At the end of 2007, the Australian armed orders of them 250 specimens for 40 million dollars.

It is used during the Guerre in Iraq as from May 2007.

Operators

• , 30.388 specimens envisaged
• Sweden
• , 250 specimens

Sources and references

• File of Deagel.Com

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