YPG recently hosted a demonstration showcasing the use of the United States’ most cutting edge 155mm artillery munitions with the South Korean K9A1 Thunder Self-Propelled Howitzer and K10 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (ARV).
In partnership with the U.S. Army, BAE Systems successfully fired a Sub-Caliber Artillery Long-Range Projectile with Enhanced Lethality, our concept for the U.S. Army’s XM1155 sub-caliber program, from a 155 mm XM907E2 58 caliber cannon and impacted a fixed target beyond ranges previously demonstrated by other precision guided projectiles fired from the same type of cannon.
The test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, used a U.S. Army-designed sabot package and confirmed the projectile’s compatibility with the 155 mm Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) Howitzer Test Bed and propelling charges.
Our concept for the U.S. Army’s XM1155-SC program is an advanced, cannon-launched projectile under development for the defeat of fixed and moving targets in contested environments at more than double the range of existing cannon launched precision guided munitions (PGM). The latest PGM in the Hypervelocity Projectile family of munitions, our concept was developed to penetrate and destroy adversary defenses through increased range, advanced guidance, lethality, and survivability. The projectile addresses the Army’s modernization goals for a long-range precision fires munitions solution.
For the past several years, BAE Systems has invested in the innovation, development and testing of advanced long-range precision fires solutions and has completed more than 100 PGM tests. In early 2022, the predecessor to our XM1155-SC concept, BAE Systems’ Extended Range Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP-ER) successfully destroyed a target at a range of more than 110 kilometers.
BAE Systems is currently under contract with the U.S. Army to develop and test the projectile as part of the Army’s XM1155 Extended Range Artillery Projectile program.
Boeing, Nammo Ramjet 155 Test Sets Distance Record
ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 9, 2023—A Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Nammo team set a record for longest indirect fire test of a ramjet-powered artillery projectile alongside officials from the U.S. Army — firing a Ramjet 155 munition from a 58-caliber Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. The test advances development efforts for the Army’s top modernization priority, Long Range Precision Fires.
The success follows last year’s Boeing-Nammo test recording the longest-ever indirect fire test of a Ramjet 155 munition. That test was completed using a 39-caliber towed artillery cannon at the Andøya Test Center in Norway.
The U.S. Army announced today the awarding of five contracts for the Army’s upcoming Self-Propelled Howitzer Performance Demonstration. The contracts were awarded to: American Rheinmetall Vehicles, BAE BOFORS, Hanwha Defense USA, General Dynamics Land Systems, and Elbit Systems USA. The contracts were awarded under Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) and the total award value for all contracts is approximately $4 million.
The Self-Propelled Howitzer Modernization (SPH-M) effort, formerly known as Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA), improves self-propelled howitzer lethality through increased range and increased rate of fire, using mature technology to improve mobility, survivability, reliability, supportability, and lethality.
“In October 2023 the Army made the decision to close out the ERCA Rapid Prototyping effort as we determined further maturation and redesign of the 58-caliber cannon was required before we could transition into an acquisition pathway,” said Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, program executive officer, Ground Combat Systems. “As part of the new strategy, we are exploring a range of options within the U.S. and internationally in order to leverage mature and available industry solutions to fulfil critical capability gaps within the Army.”
The performance demonstrations will begin in November 2024, and they will inform multiple SPH-M lines of effort as identified in the Army’s Cannon Transformation Strategy.
The Army intends to complete all vendor performance demonstrations by the end of 2024 with the goal of determining if operationally suitable solutions exist to progress into a follow-on competitive evaluation that may lead to a future production contract.
Notice of Intent to Sole Source- Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon (MDAC)/Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP) under Other Transaction Agreement (OTA)
Description
THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE-SOURCE PROTOTYPE PROJECT AND IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROTOTYPE PROPOSALS OR WHITE PAPERS.
The United States Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) intends to issue a sole source Request for Prototype Proposal (RFPP), in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022, to BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., 4800 East River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55421, for the award of a prototype Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) for the Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon (MDAC) and Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP) prototypes.
U.S. Army RCCTO has a requirement to develop and deliver a full Multi-Domain Artillery Cannon System (MDACS) Battery no later than Q4FY27 followed by an Operational Demonstration (OD) in FY28. A full MDACS Battery consists of eight (8) Multi-Domain Artillery Cannons (MDAC), four (4) Multi-Function Precision Radars (MFPR), two (2) Multi-Domain Battle Managers (MDBM), and separately, no less than 144 Hypervelocity Projectiles (HVP). The MDACS mission is to defend Joint Force fixed and semi-fixed locations against attack by a broad spectrum of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Cruise Missiles (CM), Fixed Wing (FW), Rotary Wing (RW), and other advanced air and missile threats and to complement existing air and missile defenses by operating in integrated operational scenarios. Based on market research conducted in July-October 2024, to include Requests for Information (RFI) for both the MDAC and HVP, each published on 08 July 2024 and closed on 24 July 2024, the U.S. Army RCCTO believes BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P. is the only responsible source capable of developing and delivering both the MDAC and HVP prototypes within the required schedule; competition of this effort is not practicable and will not meet mission fielding requirements.
This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals or white papers and no solicitation document will be posted for either requirement. However, vendors who previously provided a capability statement in response to the MDAC and/or HVP RFIs, and have new information, not previously submitted, that suggests their ability to meet either requirement may submit for consideration. Any response that repeats previous submissions will not be considered. Subcontracting opportunities may be available and should be sought with the prime, BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P.
