The US Army has selected five companies to demonstrate their existing self-propelled howitzers, which could potentially fill the gap left by the discontinued Extended-Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program.
BAE Systems, Hanwha Defense, Rheinmetall, Elbit Systems, and General Dynamics have received contracts totaling $4 million to prepare their artillery weapons for demonstrations beginning next month.
According to Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, program executive officer for ground combat systems, the demonstrations will guide the army’s shift from development to the procurement of a mature and readily available artillery system.
They will also inform the service’s Cannon Transformation Strategy, aimed at addressing current capability gaps.
“We are exploring a range of options within the US and internationally in order to leverage mature and available industry solutions to fulfil critical capability gaps within the Army,” Dean noted.
After the demonstrations, the army will decide whether to procure an existing solution or embark on a new development effort.
Potential Solutions
South Korea’s Hanwha Defense reportedly plans to showcase its K9A1 howitzer, recognized as the world’s most utilized tracked self-propelled howitzer with nine international customers
The 155mm/52-caliber gun can hit targets up to 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) away using conventional munitions.
It also boasts a maximum rate of fire of six rounds per minute, with the first three rounds fired in just 15 seconds.
BAE Systems will present its Archer next-generation wheeled artillery system, which promises superior mobility, lethality, and survivability.
It has a firing range of more than 50 kilometers (31 miles) and a rate of fire of up to nine rounds per minute.
The company claims that the Archer can position for action and fire its first round in under 30 seconds.