ATK and US Army conduct PGK flight tests

Alliant Techsystems and the US Army recently conducted a series of successful flight tests of the company's 155mm Howitzer Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) at the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona.

PGK is a GPS guidance kit with fuzing functions for artillery projectiles. It allows the projectile to steer itself toward a tight, pre-programmed position, thereby accomplishing reduced ballistic dispersion of artillery projectiles.

PGK has a GPS-based, fixed canard guidance and control package with gun-hardened electronics, a self-generated power supply, and a minimum number of moving parts that fits into the existing fuze well of 155mm high explosive projectiles. The tests are milestones in the rapid System Design and Development-phase of the programme, supporting a Critical Design Review (CDR) this summer.

Testing included the first guide-to-hit demonstration of a PGK installed on an M795 high explosive projectile. This test confirmed PGK's accuracy at a range of 14 kilometres. The round performed preprogrammed manoeuvres during the first 20 seconds of flight, then commenced guidance and impacted 17.5 meters from the target, well within objective requirements. Previous successful guide-to-hit testing on the programme has focused on the M549 rocket assisted projectile. Other testing, including demonstration of the tactical form factor GPS subsystem, completed all planned technical demonstrations required for entrance into this subsystem's CDR.

PGK is a low-cost, fuze-sised module designed to be compatible with conventional M795, M549 and M107 high explosive rounds. Because it works with the Army's existing inventory of artillery shells and its current gun systems, PGK will quickly and affordably bring next-generation accuracy to battlefield commanders of artillery units.

"PGK provides the 155 Howitzer with unprecedented affordability and performance, turning it into a precision weapon system that reduces collateral damage and effectively changes the mission scope of artillery in the field," said ATK Advanced Weapons Vice President and General Manager Dave Wise. "Not only will PGK's affordable precision revolutionise the way artillery is used, it will significantly reduce the cost of operations required when using unguided artillery rounds."

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