
Raytheon and the US Navy have test-fired the sea-based Excalibur N5 munition to demonstrate various range capabilities.
Designed for the US Navy, the Excalibur N5 precision-guided projectiles have the ability to provide sailors with precision fires.
Excalibur N5 is the naval variant of the extended-range, precision munition used by ground forces worldwide.
Raytheon’s Excalibur N5 projectiles are designed to be fired from the navy’s 5in guns.
The new weapon is intended to offer more than double the maximum range of conventional 5in munitions. They have been designed to provide accurate, first-round effects for all ranges in every possible weather condition.
Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice-president Sam Deneke said: “Excalibur N5 answers the navy’s need for a sea-launched, precision-guided projectile.
“N5 doubles the range of the navy’s big guns and delivers the same accuracy as the land-based version.”
The latest round of test-firing of Excalibur N5 was performed in September last year at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, Military.com reported citing Raytheon’s Land Warfare Systems division advanced programmes senior manager John Hobday.
Hobday was quoted by Jane’s as saying: “They are evaluating where they stand on it.
“We performed the demonstration and provided the navy with all the necessary information, from our end, in terms of cost and [production] lines.”
Excalibur is capable of impacting at a radial miss distance of less than 2m from the target.
The precision weapon is used by US and international artillery forces, including Sweden, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands. It has been fired more than 1,400 times in combat.
Raytheon developed the Excalibur precision-guided projectile in collaboration with BAE Systems Bofors.
Other variants of the weapon include the laser-guided Excalibur S, Excalibur HTK and Excalibur Shaped Charged Trajectory.