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Excalibur Precision Guided Extended Range Artillery Projectile Testing

This video, released by Raytheon, graphically demonstrates the capabilities of the M982 Excalibur precision 155mm artillery round. Co-developed by Raytheon and BAE Bofors, the M982 artillery projectile has been providing the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps a level of precision that has been previously unknown. The GPS guidance technology system on the Excalibur allows for an accurate first round, fire-for-effect capability that is vital in urban combat settings. Formerly the XM1156, the M982 Excalibur has been fired more than 600 times in Iraq and Afghanistan with analyses showing that it takes an average of 10 conventional rounds to do what one Excalibur round can. Although expensive, at around $80,000 per round, the Excalibur reduces the logistical burden of artillery by being more accurate.

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Steven Hoarn is the Editor/Photo Editor for Defense Media Network. He is a graduate of...