M1156 Precision Guided Kits for 155mm shells of The Netherlands army.

The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Netherlands of 3,500 M1156 Precision Guided Kits for an estimated cost of $70 million.

The M1156 PGK is a US-Army designed precision guidance system to turn existing 155 mm artillery shells into smart weapons (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Netherlands has requested to buy 3,500 units of the M1156 Precision Guided Kit. Also included are 6 PGK settable trainers; 2 PGK cut away models; 100 M76 PGK fuze wrenches; 10 Extended Length Artillery Projectile Extractors (ELAPEs); PGK technical data and publications; U.S. Government engineering and technical support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $70 million.

The M1156 PGK, formerly designated XM1156, is a US-Army designed precision guidance system to turn existing 155 mm artillery shells into smart weapons. The prime contractor is Alliant Techsystems and the industry team includes Interstate Electronics Corporation. By April 2018, more than 25,000 PGKs had been produced.

In operation, the PGK screws into the nose of the shell much like conventional fuzes. In addition to the fuzing function it provides a GPS guidance package and control surfaces to correct the flight of the shell. This is analogous to the addition of a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail-kit to a dumb iron bomb, creating a precision guided munition. The system began production in 2009, was first expected to be in service by 2010, but later was fielded in spring 2013.

The sale doesn’t cause any difficulty, as The Netherlands has been a consistent coalition partner supporting the United States in various coalition combat operations to include counter-ISIS, Stabilization Force in Iraq, and Afghanistan.