Raytheon awarded U.S. Army contract for 155mm Excalibur shells.

Raytheon was awarded a USD $85,734,819 modification to contract W15QKN-19-C-0017 for the procurement of Excalibur 155mm artillery projectiles.

Sgt. Joseph Hatch, 1-37th Field Artillery, prepares an Excalibur round to be shot out of an M777A2 at Fort Irwin (Picture source: U.S. Army/Spc. Jennifer Grier)

Work will be performed in East Camden, Arkansas; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Cincinnati, Ohio; Salt Lake City, Utah; Joplin, Missouri; Gilbert, Arizona; Landsdale, Pennsylvania; Santa Ana, California; Woodridge, Illinois; Trenton, Texas; Valencia, California; Cookstown, New Jersey; Tucson, Arizona; Phoenix, Arizona; Anniston, Alabama; Karlskoga, Sweden; Southway, United Kingdom; and Glenrothes, United Kingdom, with an estimated completion date of April 29, 2024. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $85,734,819 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.

With the Excalibur EST munition, soldiers can attack a bunker positioned on the opposite side of a mountain slope, target a multi-story building from the side rather than the top or defeat enemy assets positioned under highway overpasses. "This new version of Excalibur represents a major leap forward in capability for this already advanced guided projectile," said Kim Ernzen, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. "With these enhancements, enemy forces can no longer hide from the long arm of Excalibur."

The EST variant was successfully demonstrated in August 2018 at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, and is now being deployed to U.S. forces. This capability will be made available to allies approved to procure the Excalibur projectile through foreign military sales.

With more than 1,400 rounds fired in combat, Excalibur is the revolutionary, extended-range, precision munition for the U.S. and international artillery forces. The weapon is fully qualified for multiple artillery systems, including the M777(A2), M109 series, M198, the Archer and PzH 2000.