Israel Defense Forces to initiate procurement for new precision guidance fuze for artillery shells

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Defence & Security News - Israel

 
 
Monday, December 15, 2014 10:57 AM
 
 Israel Defense Forces to initiate procurement for new precision guidance fuzes for artillery shells
The Israel Defense Forces Ground Arm has decided to complete the development process and initiate procurement in the context of the "precision artillery shell" project. Israeli MAFAT, IMOD's Weapon System & Future Technological Infrastructure Research & Development Administration, had initially supported two primary projects of precision guidance fuzes for artillery shells: the "Top Gun" by IAI and the "Silver Bullet" by Rokar, a subsidiary of BAE Systems.
     
The Israel Defense Forces Ground Arm has decided to complete the development process and initiate procurement in the context of the "precision artillery shell" project. Israeli MAFAT, IMOD's Weapon System & Future Technological Infrastructure Research & Development Administration, had initially supported two primary projects of precision guidance fuzes for artillery shells: the "Top Gun" by IAI and the "Silver Bullet" by Rokar, a subsidiary of BAE Systems. Rokar's Silver Bullet precision guidance fuze for artillery shells
     
The fuze is intended to convert any "dumb" artillery shell into a precision-guided munition.

The idea behind the development effort was to convert "standard" artillery layouts, that are part of every military organization around the world, into systems possessing the ability to launch precision-guided munitions with an accuracy radius of ten meters, for a price that may be regarded as relatively inexpensive, so that ground forces may be able to afford the acquisition of the new measure.

Developed since 2007, Silver Bullet replaces the screw-in fuze on the nose of a standard 155 mm artillery projectile to transform it into a precision-guided munition (PGM) offering a circular error probable (CEP) of less than 20 m while retaining a variety of fuzing options. In the case of the Silver Bullet fuze, the shell leaves the muzzle of the gun with the fins already deployed. The location data of the shell are continuously transmitted and picked up by a two-way antenna. The uploading of target data into the computer inside the fuze is accomplished through wireless communication.

The Top Gun fuze by IAI also passed a series of trials in previous years. In the Top Gun fuze, the fins are deployed after the shell has left the muzzle of the gun. They are identical in size and function much like the wings of an aircraft.

The IDF Ground Arm made a decision to acquire "a precision guidance fuze" and will select one of the options being offered.

Converting "dumb" artillery shells into precision-guided munitions can be a significant force multiplier for any artillery unit. Converting standard shells into precision-guided munitions will also make it possible to engage targets in densely-populated combat zones that characterize the modern battlefield, as concerns about hitting uninvolved parties will be minimized.