Army Fires Shells 40 Miles in Upgraded Cannon Test

The Epoch Times ^ | March 7, 2020 Updated: March 7, 2020 | SIMON VEAZEY

[E. Pluribus Unum]

An outsized and upgraded cannon spat shells a distance of 40 miles over the Arizona desert Friday, reaching almost three times as far as its previous incarnation.

The army is scrambling to boost the range of its missiles and artillery as the number one modernization priority.

That program includes an upgrade to a tank-like howitzer, the Extended Range Cannon Artillery, with three times the range and an autoloader, able to launch one round every 6-10 seconds.

On March 6, the prototype, with its unwieldy-looking gun, successfully fired two different types of artillery 40 miles during a demonstration at the Yuma testing range in Arizona, according to Military.com.

The upgrade to the 57-year-old M109 armored self-propelled howitzer launched a rocket-assisted 155 mm round and an Excalibur precision-guided round.

The Excalibur round also hit a precision target, Brig. Gen. John Rafferty told reporters, according to Breaking Defense, but added no further details.

Rafferty is in charge of the Army’s Long Range Precision Fires program (LRPF), which also includes the development of a monster gun that can fire rounds hundreds of miles.

[Natty Bumppo@frontier.net]

Each one is the cost of a new Cadillac.

And the weight of a Volkswagen (full of high explosives).

[Fester Chugabrew]

Given an angle of 45 degrees, which I assume to be optimal in the way of distance, and a distance of 40 miles, can we derive apex? Can we do this without velocity component?

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Anything you do to adjust drag in flight will negate analysis of the trajectory. The earlier you adjust your trajectory the less precise any calculation will be.

These calculations will have to assume an aerodynamic coefficient. The only variable is drag and atmospheric conditions because drop is always the same.

[big'ol_freeper]

RE: While one can say “big sky, little shell,” tain’t funny

It was humor son. I was an FA officer. Quit holding your cheeks so tight.

[GreyFriar]

Sorry, I didn’t see your crossed cannons. Unfortunately, I’ve heard that phrase too many times from non-artillery folks.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Anything you do to adjust drag in flight will negate analysis of the trajectory. The earlier you adjust your trajectory the less precise any calculation will be.

These calculations will have to assume an aerodynamic coefficient. The only variable is drag and atmospheric conditions because drop is always the same.

[Future Snake Eater]

A lot cheaper than a Tomahawk missile though.

No question. Difference is Navy and/or Air Force pay for the TLAMs, Army pays for the Excaliburs. As huge as the military budget is, you'd swear nobody has any money...

[Future Snake Eater]

My time in the artillery pre-dated the ability to computer integrate the coordination of combined arms operations.

Making AFATDS and AMDWS work with the CPOF ground picture has been my job for a while now (present assignment to USSTRATCOM excluded), but I like to think of it more as my own special Tower of Babel hell.

[Spktyr]

Also cheaper than the new-ish precision strike missile the Army fires out of the MLRS, now that the rules say you can’t erase grid squares with them any more.

[Redcitizen]

More artillery is also better.

[Redcitizen]

Need more of these...

[Spktyr]

Those only fire precision strike missiles now. Also, the Army has decided the newer incarnation of that is to be built on a truck chassis and only carry half the number of missiles (1 pod vs 2).

[Spktyr]

Russia does understand that one...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bWt81vhIyY

Also, what it’s like to mass launch Katyushas, what it’s like when they fly overhead... and what it’s like to be on the receiving end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaO3v8UuqeY

[WASCWatch]

The barrel life of a 16” Naval gun is not 300 rounds. The life of the “lifespan” of the liner is 1,500 rounds. As for the number of rounds that can go through the barrel, that number likely is at least 100,000.

[DUMBGRUNT]

As noted above, this is not my line of work.
But the New Jersey and Puff were a fun topic in RVN.
Please note the last line.
“Approximate Barrel Life 3a 395 rounds”

NOTE 3a READS:
^HC rounds at 2,525 fps (770 mps) were 0.74 ESR and at 2,000 fps (610 mps) were 0.09 ESR. The Target rounds at 1,800 fps (549 mps) were 0.08 ESR, but it is noted that this gun could fire 2,860 Target rounds before exceeding liner life.

http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_16-45_mk6.php

Projectile Types and Weights 1a AP Mark 8 Mods 0 to 8 - 2,700 lbs. (1,225 kg)
HC Mark 13 Mods 0 to 6 - 1,900 lbs. (862 kg)
HC Mark 14 Mod 0 - 1,900 lbs. (862 kg)
Bursting Charge AP Mark 8 - 40.9 lbs. (18.55 kg)
HC Mark 13 - 153.6 lbs. (69.67 kg)
HC Mark 14 - 153.6 lbs. (69.67 kg)
Projectile Length AP Mark 8 - 72.0 in (182.9 cm)
HC Mark 13 - 64.0 in (162.6 cm)
HC Mark 14 - 64.0 in (162.6 cm)
Propellant Charge 2a Full Charge - 535 lbs. (242.7 kg) SPD
Reduced Charge - 295 lbs. (133.8 kg) SPD or SPDN
Reduced Charge Flashless - 315 lbs. (142.9 kg) SPCG

Muzzle Velocity Full Charge - New Gun
AP - 2,300 fps (701 mps)
HC - 2,635 fps (803 mps)
Full Charge - Average Gun
AP - N/A
HC - 2,525 fps (770 mps)

Reduced Charge - New Gun
AP - 1,800 fps (549 mps)
HC - 2,075 fps (632 mps)

Working Pressure 18.0 tons/in2 (2,835 kg/cm2)
Approximate Barrel Life 3a 395 rounds

[Redcitizen]

I saw MLRS launches during Desert Storm 1991. I saw the impacts downrange. Most impressive.

file image

[WASCWatch]

Read footnote 14a. Towards the bottom, it says approximately 1500 rounds for the liner. Very interesting about how rounds through the barrel increased exponentially. I’m not sure, but I think it is the liner that needs replacing, not the barrel.

http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_16-50_mk7.php#ammonote14

[Spktyr]

The site you quote is for the 16 inch/45 caliber Mark 6 naval gun on the North Carolina class. The Iowas use a 16 inch/50 caliber Mark 7. 395 rounds is correct for the Mark 6, but not for an Iowa.

USS New Jersey is an Iowa class.

[Spktyr]

He was quoting the Mark 6’s barrel life numbers, you’re quoting the correct one for the Iowa’s Mark 7s. Yes, they just swap out the barrel liner when that’s worn.

[DUMBGRUNT]

“it is the liner that needs replacing, not the barrel.”

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a183947.pdf

The shrunk fit asembly was accomplished in a deep electrically
heated pit. First the jacket was heated to cause expansion. A tube
was then placed in the pit, breech end down, with a centering
mandril extending up into the bore for support. cold circulating
water cooled the tube and prevented it from expanding. The jacket,
which had expanded in diameter, was then slipped on over the tube.
Cooled, the jacket contracted and gripped the tube firmly and
evenly,

“Very interesting about how rounds through the barrel increased exponentially”

Too much fun stuff to read!
I’m easily amused and it is raining out...

At a site I lost track of, it was noted that advances in erosion control made the mechanical properties of the barrel the more important consideration.