WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M., June 26 (UPI) -- BAE Systems completed guided flight tests on a cost-saving multiservice standard guided projectile likely to be used across U.S. and allied armed forces.
Cost considerations are paramount for military acquisition programs not only in the United States but also allied forces in Europe and elsewhere.
The successful guided flight test was conducted by BAE Systems and United Technologies Corp. at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
All test objectives were achieved during the guided flight of the Multiservice Standard Guided Projectile, demonstrating its performance from a 5-inch, 62-caliber Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun system, BAE Systems said.
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The company said the MS-SGP provides a single projectile capable of responsive, tactical fires for addressing stationary or moving targets for multiple U.S. or allied services at a fraction of the cost of current alternatives.
"Currently the U.S. and its allies are using significantly more expensive solutions to address fire support and tactical targets," Chris Hughes, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems, said.
"The projectile can provide the U.S. forces with an affordable, long-range, and precision gun-launched projectile to greatly expand our fire support capability."
The guided flight test, culminating more than 110 MS-SGP subsystem tests, demonstrates the weapon's tactical capability to a range of about 23 miles.
The MS-SGP's maximum range is about 60 miles, with accuracy of less than 16 feet. BAE Systems says the MS-SGP significantly enhances the capability of U.S. Army and Marine Corps field artillery and U.S. Navy Mk 45 gun systems.
The MS-SGP will be fired from an M777 towed howitzer late in the summer this year, BAE Systems said.
The SGP will provide the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps as well as allies with precision long-range firing capacity.
More than 55 Mk 45 Mod 4 naval guns are deployed worldwide. BAE Systems says the 5-inch SGP greatly expands the capacity to provide long-range joint fires and support asymmetric operations around the world.
The Mk 45 Mod 4 will deliver 5-Inch fires at a maximum rate of 10 rounds per minute to 52 nautical miles to achieve desired effects. The 5-Inch SGP offers rapid time of flight and the capability of in-flight retargeting to address moving targets, changing target conditions, and surface threats.
With over 300 howitzers deployed in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, the 5-inch Saboted SGP greatly expands the range and area covered by direct and general support artillery units to provide long range joint fires in support of ground combat operations.
Artillery units firing the 5-inch Saboted SGP will deliver a volume of effects on desired area targets out to a range of about 42 miles. By use of flight profiling, the 5-inch Saboted SGP can execute Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact missions, magnifying lethal effects.
Both the 5-inch SGP and Saboted SGP deliver all weather precision attack capability to fully defeat targets with high-explosive warheads while operating within a jamming environment.
The cost of the system was not discussed.
