Advanced mortar bombs are under advanced development stage for the
US Army. XM984 Extended Range Mortar Cartridge (ERMC) is currently
under development for by Talley Defense Systems for the US Army
120 mm M120/M121 mortar system. A conventional M934 bomb fired
from this system will reach a maximum range of 7,200 metres. The
XM984 is expected to almost double the range, to reach 12,000 m'.
The range extension being produced by a nose-mounted rocket motor
that cuts in at a pre-determined point during the bomb's
trajectory. The rocket will fire 12 seconds after the launch, and
burn for a period of four seconds. After a predestinated delay, 54
M80 grenades will be released from the bomb, effecting a target
are 233 percent larger than an HE bomb.
A different munition is the M395 Precision Guided Mortar Munition (PGMM) under
development at Lockheed Martin and Diehl of Germany as well as ATK,
which recently won a US Army development contract for the weapon.
Lockheed Martin's PGMM is
based on Diehl's Bussard artillery projectile, will provide the
tactical commander with 'surgical' strike capability, to destroy
high value / high risk targets. Using such munitions could
increase the future effective range from 0.5 up to 15km. PGMM will
not use rocket assistance for range enhancement, but utilize
aerodynamic surfaces for the mid-course gliding. On the terminal
phase, a semi-active laser homing seeker acquires the target and
guide the munition to impact. Initial productions of the PGMM will
be equipped with semi-active laser seekers, and be capable of a
range of 7.5 km. Follow-on systems will have optional thermal
imager, and extended range capability, as well as more choices for
fuzes and warheads. The IR seeker will detect and classify
targets, process the information automatically into navigation
(GPS), guidance and
control subsystems to ensure first-hit-on-target. A self-destruct
mechanism eliminates the collateral damage from duds, for
advancing troops. The initial phase of the program was completed
in 2001 with successful live fire demonstration. Advanced
development was started in 2002.
A different munition is the M395 Precision Guided Mortar Munition (PGMM) under
development at Lockheed Martin and Diehl of Germany as well as ATK,
which recently won a US Army development contract for the weapon.
Lockheed Martin's PGMM is
based on Diehl's Bussard artillery projectile, will provide the
tactical commander with 'surgical' strike capability, to destroy
high value / high risk targets. Using such munitions could
increase the future effective range from 0.5 up to 15km. PGMM will
not use rocket assistance for range enhancement, but utilize
aerodynamic surfaces for the mid-course gliding. On the terminal
phase, a semi-active laser homing seeker acquires the target and
guide the munition to impact. Initial productions of the PGMM will
be equipped with semi-active laser seekers, and be capable of a
range of 7.5 km. Follow-on systems will have optional thermal
imager, and extended range capability, as well as more choices for
fuzes and warheads. The IR seeker will detect and classify
targets, process the information automatically into navigation
(GPS), guidance and
control subsystems to ensure first-hit-on-target. A self-destruct
mechanism eliminates the collateral damage from duds, for
advancing troops. The initial phase of the program was completed
in 2001 with successful live fire demonstration. Advanced
development was started in 2002.
