Raytheon has successfully tested its new Excalibur N5 projectile at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz, during a live guided-flight demonstration.
Excalibur N5 is a 5in / 127mm naval variant of the Excalibur precision projectile that is being used by several militaries, including the US Marine Corps and US Army.
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Raytheon Land Warfare Systems product line vice-president Duane Gooden said: "Excalibur N5’s range, precision and lethality will revolutionise naval gunfire and increase the offensive firepower of our navy’s destroyers and cruisers.
"This demonstration showcases the N5’s maturity as a proven low-risk solution, and is ready for the navy now."
According to the company, the upgraded projectile offers more than triple the maximum effective range of conventional naval gun munitions.
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In addition, it reportedly provides the same pinpoint accuracy as the Excalibur Ib, which is currently in production.
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By GlobalDataExcalibur uses GPS guidance to deliver accurate, first-round effects capability in any environment, with a high level of precision, the system offers less time, cost and logistical burden, the company stated.
The new missile is designed to support a number of critical mission areas, including naval surface fire support, anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and countering fast attack craft (FAC).
Gooden added: "With the significant amount of re-use from the army’s Excalibur programme, the N5 provides the navy with an affordable, direct path to employ a critical capability.
"We continue to build on Excalibur’s unmatched reliability and performance by investing in a fire-and-forget, dual-mode seeker that will vastly improve the 5in gun’s current ASuW and counter-FAC capability."
Raytheon recently secured a contract from the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to acquire long-lead materials required to manufacture up to 17 Standard Missile-3 Block IIAs to be used for testing and initial deployment.
Designed as part of phase two of the current administration’s phased adaptive approach for missile defence, the SM-3 Block IIA missile can be launched from ground stations or ships to provide increased engagement capability and greater range.
