then, is getting the state-of-the art elec- tronics that are nestled inside the round’s relatively small nose cone to reliably sup- port GPS reception after enduring what can only be described as—without exag- geration or hyperbole—an extremely hot and bumpy ride.”


BETTER BEAD ON THE ENEMY


The M982 Excalibur Increment 1a-2 is a GPS- guided, 155 mm extended-range, precision- guided projectile that has a range capability of 37.5 kilometers, representing a dramatic improvement in accuracy over conventional artillery ammunition. (U.S. Army photo)


targets precisely with reduced collateral damage. It also means that the maneuver commander now has the ability to utilize


both close air support and artillery to do the job,” DeMasi said.


Te M982 Excalibur Increment 1a-2, one of the 2011 Army Greatest Inven- tions (AGIs), is a GPS-guided, 155 mm extended-range,


precision-guided


jectile that has a range capability of 37.5 kilometers, which is a dramatic improvement in accuracy over the hun- dreds of meters for conventional artillery ammunition. Te extended range is achieved through the use of folding glide fins, which allow the projectile to coast from the top of a ballistic arc toward a preprogrammed target. Tis increased reliability boosts the probabil- ity of destroying a target and decreases the number of rounds needed to fire.


According to DeMasi, Excalibur must stand up to very tough conditions: A round starts at rest and then, propelled by an explosion, accelerates inside the length of a cannon tube to a velocity exceeding 1,000 mph. “Te challenge,


He added that when the first increment of Excalibur was delivered to troops, it received a 2007 AGI award. “With Incre- ment 1a-2, we improved the range of the projectile significantly, giving the com- mander approximately 53 percent greater reach. Considering that Excalibur 1a-2 now has a maximum range greater than any other U.S. 155 mm projectile, this is a significant enhancement.”


But Excalibur is just one example of the many successes achieved through the Army’s top 2011 inventions, which will be formally recognized at a ceremony this spring. Following is a look at the rest of the winners.


pro-


PRECISION MORTAR IMPROVEMENTS ARDEC’s Alameda was involved in two winning inventions


that are part and


parcel of each other: the Accelerated Pre- cision Mortar Initiative Cartridge (APMI) and the Precision Lightweight Universal Mortar Setter System (PLUMSS).


“Tere were many difficult technological hurdles we crossed previously, during our development of digital fire control systems requiring interface with smart projectiles, that culminated in the APMI and PLUMSS,” said Alameda. APMI is a 120 mm GPS-guided mortar cartridge that provides infantry commanders with precision-strike capability that has “never been achieved before,” she said.


“Typically mortars are fired in volleys against an area target because of their


inherent


inaccuracy, but with APMI,


you have the potential to destroy a target with only one or two rounds,” said Peter Burke, Deputy Product Manager Guided Precision Munitions and Mortar Systems for PM CAS. Because of


its


GPS accuracy, APMI gives Soldiers the opportunity to employ the mortar where they previously would not, such as closer to friendly forces or in urban areas. It also reduces the logistical burden of ammunition resupply.


APMI replaces the current standard M934 higher-explosive


fuse in the round


with modifications to the fuse well and fin configuration, to provide low-cost guidance capability that significantly improves the accuracy of mortar rounds. GPS coordinates are inputted from cur- rent mortar-lightweight


or standard


mortar-ballistic computers with the addi- tion of PLUMSS, a highly transportable, all-weather, rapid-response, indirect fire control system.


Te use of PLUMSS has improved the Circular Error Probable—a measure of accuracy defined as the radius of a circle centered at the mean in which 50 percent of the round impacts are contained—from 75 meters to 10 meters. It uses GPS for pre- cision to provide indirect fire support that decreases the ammunition expenditure rate, limits collateral damage, and pro- vides accurate first-round effects on target.


According to program personnel, com- monality and interoperability among already fielded platforms eliminate the need for additional resources for training and sustainment, while providing valu- able lessons learned during development.


SOLDIER PLATE CARRIER SYSTEM Te Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) was spearheaded by PEO Soldier’s Product


ASC.ARMY.MIL 93


SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY


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