Weapons

Guided Munition – to Enhance US Navy Littoratl Operations

The US navy has been enhancing its gun range. A guided munition manufactured by BAE Systems and Italy’s Leonardo will triple the range of the Mk 45 guns installed on about 100 Navy vessels, keeping ships out of harm’s way in littoral operations.

The two firms announced they were partnering on adapting Leonardo’s Vulcano munition for use with BAE’s five-inch Mk 45 gun, as well as the 155-millimeter Advanced Gun System gun supplied by the firm for the U.S. Navy’s Zumwalt class of destroyers.

According to defensenews.com, the Vulcano 127-millimeter, or five-inch munition, which Leonardo has been developing with the Italian Navy for use on its 127-millimeter Leonardo-built guns, is GPS controlled. Each projectile is given coordinates and links to satellites for guidance during flight.

Steering is undertaken through moveable fins that are protected during firing by a sabot, or jacket, that falls away after the munition leaves the barrel.

Leonardo has said the 127-millimeter Vulcano munition it currently offers for use on its own guns will reach a range of up to 100 kilometers.