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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