the future of gun-fired precision munitions (gfpm)

22 JANUARY - MARCH 2008

ARMY AL&T

The Future of Gun-FiredPrecision Munitions (GFPM)

COL Ole A. Knudson, Martin Moratz and Frank Altamura

The Excalibur 155mm artillery projectile

can precisely engage targets in urban

and complex terrain with minimal risk of

collateral damage. The successful use of Excal-

ibur in theater over the last several months has

demonstrated its effectiveness, signaling the

arrival of a new generation of GFPM.

Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division fire their M109A6 Paladin Self-PropelledHowitzer from Forward Operating Base Camp Taji in Taji, Iraq, during an operationalmission. Since being fielded in May 2007, the Excalibur 155mm artillery projectilehas become the GFPM of choice among artillery commanders because of itsenhanced accuracy in complex and urban terrain and 24 km range. (U.S. Army photoby SPC Benjamin Cossel, 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

ASC_1207_ALT_Jan-Mar 2008_CC.qxp 12/18/2007 12:21 PM Page 22

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This ground-launched munition canbe quickly employed without extensivemission planning or the extensive co-ordination needed to deliver precisionmunitions via an air delivery platform.In general, providing precision fires ex-ponentially reduces collateral damageand drives down the logistics footprintwhile significantly increasing opera-tional effectiveness. The deploymentof a new generation GFPM holds theprospect of providing precision muni-tions that are much less costly overallthan current missile-based or air-dropped solutions. The technical challenges to accomplish high G load(the magnitude of the accelerationcompared to gravity) survivabilityGFPM are being solved by currentPrograms of Record (PORs) such asExcalibur, Precision Guided Kit(PGK), Precision Guided Mortar Munition (PGMM) and the Mid-Range Munition (MRM).

Based on the significant progress that hasalready been demonstrated for GFPM,one of the greatest challenges remainingis to develop more affordable solutions.Near-term solutions to make GFPMmuch more affordable should change theongoing debate from “how much preci-sion can we afford?” to “how do we im-plement more affordable precision solu-tions?” This change will ensure that thewarfighter’s precision needs aren’t re-stricted by budget shortages. To achievegreater affordability, component costsmust be reduced and technologies thatwill enable cost drivers such as inertialmeasurement units, semiactive laser seek-ers, canard actuation systems, power sup-plies, and fuze safe and arm devices mustbe further developed and simplified.

Advances in these key technology areas,coupled with aggressive acquisitionstrategies that maximize competition andprovide participants incentives to bring

forward the most cost-effective solutions,will continue to drive down the cost ofGFPM. For example, PGK’s Increment1 average unit cost is approximately$3,000, making it much more affordablethan any previous precision capability.Tech base and contractor’s independentresearch and development funding fo-cused on exploring potential solutionsfor artillery precision-guided munitions,and mortar guidance kits (similar toPGK for mortars) also show potentialfor having very affordable gun-fired pre-cision solutions in the near future.

Excalibur Provides New Capabilities in Urban WarfareAfter completing development testingand a limited user test, Excalibur wasfielded in May 2007 and is providingdeployed forces an urgently needed155mm artillery precision capability.The weapon’s guidance system enables afire-and-forget, continuously guided,

ARMY AL&T

23JANUARY - MARCH 2008


gliding projectile with less than 10-meter (m) circular error probability(CEP) accuracy with a near-vertical, ter-minal angle, top-attack effects capability.Excalibur has a high-explosive (HE)warhead with three fuzing modes —point detonating, proximity and delay— that makes it effective against a vari-ety of target types, ranging from person-nel to structures and both lightly ar-mored and other vehicles. In compari-son to conventional unguided artillery

projectiles, Excalibur’s accu-racy gives Soldiers

and Marines a

whole new capability that they canemploy effectively in complex andurban terrain where collateral damageis a primary concern. The fielded ver-sion of Excalibur has a range of 24kilometers (kms). A longer-range ver-sion that will reach 35-40 kms is un-dergoing testing and is expected to bein production soon. Raytheon is theprime contractor for the first two in-crements of Excalibur, and a competi-tion is planned for follow-on incre-ments to help reduce unit costs andincrease reliability for the long term.

PGK Solves Long-StandingProblemThe PGK will provide the Army’s current inventory of 155mm HE projec-tiles with less than a 50-m CEP. Poten-tially, it will provide increased precisionto a CEP under 30 m. Using a screw-onkit in place of a standard artillery fuze,PGK provides a solution to a very diffi-cult problem: guiding an artillery projec-tile that has a spin rate of 250-300 hertz,weighs approximately 100 pounds and isbeing fired at a maximum of approxi-mately 15,000 G loads with all the kit’scomponents packaged in a very smallsize of the fuze well on the existing

stockpile of 155mm HE projectiles.To greatly reduce the technical diffi-culty, Increment 1 requirements al-lowed potential technical solutions

to deviate from the standard NATOsize factor and use all of the space

within the deep well cavity on existingHE projectiles. External stakes and ca-nards were also allowed as long as the so-lutions were compatible with existingammunition and howitzers.

The average low-rate initial productioncost for the PGK is about $3,000 perunit. The simplicity of the design ap-proach that expanded the allowablespace beyond the standard fuze sizewas a major factor in developing a suc-cessful technical solution and in keep-ing the unit cost down. Alliant Tech-systems, the winning contractor from

the competitive technology demonstra-tion (TD), used predeployed, fixed ca-nards to reduce the design complexityand demonstrate dramatic improve-ments in first-round accuracy at longerranges. The same TD proved that algo-rithms that measure antenna strength asthe round spins can be used to deter-mine roll rate and provide an accuratemeasurement of up, thus, eliminatingthe need for more complex inertial sen-sors. Continued competition amongkey component providers and otherproducibility improvements could po-tentially reduce PGK’s unit cost evenmore. A planned follow-on competi-tive PGK effort will provide a similarcapability for 105mm projectiles.

XM395 PGMM — A Commander’s Hip-PocketMunitionPGMM is a multipurpose, laser-guided120mm mortar cartridge that is capableof engaging high-payoff targets out to amaximum range of 7,200 m, providinga precision strike round capability witha first round defeat of high-value pointtargets such as enemy personnel pro-tected by brick over block walls, lightlyarmored vehicles, earth and timberbunkers, and command and controlcenters. The ability to hit point targetsis especially valuable in urban environ-ments and low intensity conflicts whereavoiding collateral damage and reduc-ing the potential for civilian casualties

24 JANUARY - MARCH 2008

ARMY AL&T

XM982 Excalibur 155mm PrecisionGuided Extended Range Projectile.

An M109A6 Paladin Self-Propelled Howitzer test fires an XM982 Excalibur 155mm projectile downrange at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ. The Excalibur’s on-boardguidance system will deliver the projectile within a 10-m CEP accuracy with a near-vertical, terminal angle, top-attack effects capability as demonstrated in thisfiring sequence. The Excalibur’s increased accuracy also helps minimize potential collateral damage and civilian casualties when employed against point and high-payoff targets. (U.S. Army photo courtesy of PM CAS.)


is critical. PGMM is fired much likeany standard mortar cartridge after pro-gramming the fuze with time-of-flight,target type and laser code of the day. Itcan be fired from all current and futuresmooth-bore 120mm mortar weaponsand flies ballistically to its search areawhere the laser sensor acquires the target.It requires an operational lasing time ofapproximately 10 seconds. The currentPGMM engages stationary targets, andfuture increments will include movingtargets and a longer range. The PGMMis the battalion or task force comman-der’s hip-pocket precision munition.

XM1111 MRM Raises Stand-off, Lowers Collateral Damage The MRM is a 120mm multipurpose,GFPM that enables the Future CombatSystems Mounted Combat Systems(MCS) to engage moving or stationaryhigh-payoff targets at beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) ranges from 2 km out to12,000 m and beyond. This enables theMCS to exploit terrain and range to pro-vide the tactical standoff that enablesthem to act first, as well as an organicBLOS capability, without the need toqueue fires. The MCS can fire MRMwhile stationary or on the move, provid-ing precision defeat of single point, high-payoff targets, including stationary ormoving main battle tanks, light armor,self-propelled howitzers, air defense ar-tillery and bunkers. MRM is compati-ble with the M256 gun tube, which willpotentially allow for future integrationonto the Abrams M1A2 tank.

The MRM employs three modes of op-eration: autonomous, designate anddesignate-only. In the autonomousmode, the MRM searches for and en-gages targets using data downloaded tothe projectile prior to firing to aid intarget acquisition. Designate is whenthe munition searches for a semiactivelaser designator return from the targetand engages it. The munition switches

to the autonomous mode in the termi-nal phase, which allows for sensor-fuzed, aimpoint refinement to maxi-mize lethality. If the laser spot is lost ornot present, the projectile will auto-matically revert to autonomous. Thedesignate-only mode is the same as designate, except the munition does notrevert to the autonomous mode if thelaser spot is lost or not present. This al-lows for added control where fratricideor collateral damage is a concern.

The Key to Greater Affordability — Technology Advancement In addition to the PORs describedabove, numerous technologies must beadvanced to enable more affordableGFPM. Warhead technologies thatwill allow increased or selected lethalitywith a significant decrease in payloadsize are needed, as well as reduced ratesensors that lower cost without sacrific-ing performance. Introducing moreMicro-Electro Mechanical Systemstechnology into the sensors and fuzesafe and arm devices to reduce volumewithout degrading performance is anear-term solution to reduce costs.Developing small, low-cost, gun-hardened actuators and power supplyalternatives are also essential to overallcost reductions for GFPM solutions.

To promote the independent advance-ment of key technologies, the DefenseOrdnance Technology Consortium is-sued Request for Project Proposals forVery Affordable Precision and EnablingTechnologies in FY07 and FY08. Theenabling technologies include fuze safeand arm, semiactive lasers, height ofburst sensors, super capacitors, inertialmeasurement units, novel actuationmechanisms, alternate energy sources,common telemetry and novel sensors.More than 25 qualifying proposalswere received. These are being priori-tized and, when possible, funded.

Providing affordable precision solutionsto the warfighter is a clear necessity forongoing combat operations and islikely to be essential for success in anyfuture conflict. As technology and thecurrent PORs advance, affordable pre-cision will advance as well, providingdramatic improvements in precision-striking power immediately available toground combat commanders.

COL OLE A. KNUDSON is the ProjectManager Combat Ammunition Systems(PM CAS). He holds a B.S. in engineeringfrom the U.S. Military Academy and anM.S. in mechanical engineering from theNaval Postgraduate School. Knudson is agraduate of the U.S. Army Command andGeneral Staff College, the Defense SystemsManagement College Harvard Fellowshipfor Management Development and theArmy War College Fellowship Program atthe University of Texas. Additionally, he isa Defense Systems Management CollegeProgram Management Course and Execu-tive Program Management Course gradu-ate. Knudson is an Army AcquisitionCorps (AAC) officer Level III certified inprogram management.

MARTIN MORATZ is the Chief, Ad-vanced System Division, PM CAS. Heholds a B.S. in engineering from the U.S.Military Academy. Moratz is an AAC mem-ber with Level III certification in manufac-turing, production and quality assurance.

FRANK ALTAMURA is the ProgramManagement Integration Process TeamLead for the MRM program. He has aB.S. in mechanical engineering from theNew Jersey Institute of Technology and anM.S. in integrated engineering from theStevens Institute of Technology. Altamurais certified Level III in systems planning,research, development and engineering,and Level II in program management. Heis also an AAC member.

ARMY AL&T

25JANUARY - MARCH 2008


the future of gun-fired precision munitions (gfpm)

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