BAE Systems has been drafted by the US Army to develop modernised precision-guidance kits that will ensure the accuracy of 155-millimetre artillery munitions.  The $8m contract will see the company develop kits for 155mm artillery munitions that will be able to change course once fired, even in GPS-jammed environments, which will allow greater accuracy and range.

The kits are compatible with current and future artillery munitions as well as firing platforms such as the M777 lightweight towed howitzers and the M109 self-propelled howitzer.

One of the big challenges for armed forces around the world is figuring out how their weapons systems will function in a conflict where the opposition has sophisticated systems that can block out GPS signals.  Making sure that strike capabilities can still operate despite anti-access, area denial operations and cyberattacks will become a key component of tomorrow’s warfare.  This contract is aimed at moving forward the US Army’s capabilities in such environments.

“We understand the critical importance of maintaining the accuracy of the Army’s long-range artillery against any adversary,” said Marc Casseres, director of Precision Guidance and Sensor Solutions at BAE Systems. “Our kits will provide this capability for the current stock of 155-millimeter munitions and future munitions designed to provide significantly greater range. We were selected for this program because of our expertise in precision-guidance technology and our ability to achieve a high level of engineering and manufacturing maturity.