The projectile can be fired from any artillery system of the NATO standard
Excalibur has a caliber of 155 mm and an error of several meters. / Photo: Collage: Today
Ukraine continues to receive weapons from Western allies to resist the Russian occupiers. In particular, our country will receive American shells for the HIMARS artillery system, which can reach Russian targets in Crimea.
There is also talk about the supply of M982 Excalibur precision-guided projectiles, which are part of one of Canada’s aid packages. On July 8, a briefing was held at the Pentagon, where one of the journalists asked about these shells. However, he was told that “they cannot go into details.”
The Segodnya website figured out what kind of shells Ukraine can get.
Accurate projectile
As noted, the M982 Excalibur is a 155 mm high-precision artillery projectile, created jointly by various research units of the US Army and Raytheon.
The projectile has a range of 40 km and an error of several meters thanks to the inertial and satellite navigation guidance system. Reportedly, the latter is crucial, since for an accurate shot it is necessary to know the coordinates of the target, and not highlight it with a laser.
Interestingly, this projectile can be fired from any modern NATO-standard artillery system – American M777 howitzers, wheeled French CAESAR, tracked German PzH 2000 or British AS90 Braveheart, etc.
M982 Excalibur projectile. / Photo: defense-ua.com
Excalibur projectile characteristics:
- weight – 48 kg;
- warhead mass – 22 kg;
- length – 1 m;
- caliber – 155 mm;
- error from the aiming point – 4 m.
Experts note that the firing range of the Excalibur depends on the artillery system itself. In particular, the proven range of the Excalibur shot from the M777 with a barrel length of 39 calibers is 36 kilometers. At the same time, CAESAR with a 52-caliber barrel is capable of firing from it to 46 kmand PzH 2000 – on 48 km.
“To maximize the effectiveness of Excalibur, in the first place, it will be better to use it from self-propelled artillery mounts with a barrel length of 52 calibers. In conditions of counter-battery combat, this will allow you to get astronomical advantage over the enemy,” the statement said.
In comparison, the range of fire from one of the artillery systems of the Russian army – “Msta” – is up to 24.7 km with special projectiles with improved aerodynamics 3VOF45.
“And the specialized Hyacinth, which was created as a counter-battery weapon, has a firing range of up to 30,5 km with a similar special projectile 3VOF86. That is, the excess use of Excalibur from 52-caliber artillery systems will be 16-18 km. To understand the scale of the abyss, this is the firing range of the widespread Soviet self-propelled guns 2S3 Akatsia, experts point out.
At the same time, it is indicated that Excalibur can become a decisive factor both during counter-battery combat and the destruction of important targets with precision strikes.
Earlier, the Segodnya website wrote about the American HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, which are already hitting the occupiers with all their might, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny showed the brilliant work of the Polish Crabs at the front. We also wrote about the RM-70 Vampire, of which the Ukrainian military is firing at the enemy.
Source: Segodnya
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