The Netherlands Ministry of Defense is purchasing Raytheon Excalibur Ib 155mm artillery rounds for its PZH 2000 self-propelled howitzers under a previously announced Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement, according to a Raytheon Company news release.

“When fired from the Dutch PzH 2000 artillery system, Excalibur can fly up to 50 kilometers, score a direct hit and deliver lethal effects in all types of weather and battlefield conditions,” said Mark Hokeness, Raytheon’s Excalibur program director.

The Netherlands is the second European customer to buy the Excalibur Ib after Sweden, whose BAE Bofors partnered with Raytheon for the development of the precision-guided, extended range artillery round. Deliveries are expected to begin later this year.

“When fired from the Dutch PzH 2000 artillery system, Excalibur can fly up to 50 kilometers, score a direct hit and deliver lethal effects in all types of weather and battlefield conditions,” said Mark Hokeness, Raytheon’s Excalibur program director. “The Netherlands joins a growing list of nations acquiring this highly sophisticated artillery munition, which uses GPS guidance to provide accurate, first-round effects capability at extended ranges.”

Nearly 770 Excalibur GPS-guided rounds have been fired in combat, often striking less than two meters from precisely-located targets. Other international users of Excalibur rounds include Canada, Australia, and Germany.