Raytheon tested Excalibur S semi-active laser munition for US Marine Corps.

Raytheon's new Excalibur S precision-guided munition scored direct hits on moving targets in a U.S. Navy test for the U.S. Marine Corps.. Testing validated the projectile's ability to survive the shock and stress of a howitzer firing, then transition from GPS to laser guidance and hit a moving target.

Excalibur S laser-guided projectile on target (Picture source: Raytheon)

In fact, conducted at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona in April 2019, but not disclosed until 5 February 2020, two Excalibur S rounds were fired from a 155 mm M777A2 towed howitzer against a moving target, which was designated by a ground lasing system. The test was conducted in collaboration with the US Office of Naval Research (ONR), which is evaluating moving target artillery capabilities for the US Marine Corps.

Excalibur S uses the Excalibur Ib variant's GPS technology and incorporates a semi-active laser seeker to engage mobile land and maritime targets at comparable ranges. Existing Ib projectiles can be upgraded with Excalibur S capabilities. "Using artillery to engage moving targets gives soldiers more flexibility," said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. "Artillery is typically used to hit stationary objects, but Excalibur S expands the capability of artillery on the battlefield."

Excalibur is a true precision weapon, impacting at a radial miss distance of less than two meters from the target. Widely used by U.S. and international artillery forces, Excalibur has been fired more than 1,400 times in combat.