WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is preparing to select an existing field artillery battalion to receive the first
Extended Range Cannon Artillery system, according to Brig. Gen. John Rafferty, who is in charge of the service’s long-range precision fires modernization efforts.
Fielding will take place in 2023, but the Army will have to announce the unit with enough time to carry out a yearlong operational assessment, he said at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Next virtual event on March 16. The assessment will be critical for working through “the operational concept for how we fight with general support artillery fires and a division,” he said.
At the same time, the Army is synchronizing the delivery of ammunition to include propellant and course-correcting fuses for the operational assessment, he added.
The service plans to deliver real-time soldier feedback to the engineers who are working on the next battalion set of ERCA systems.
The Army will also evaluate concepts of sustainment during the assessment because “this really will impact a division’s ability to sustain and especially the fires war-fighting function, which we have already put a lot of pressure on our sustainment and logistics partners,” Rafferty noted.
The
ERCA cannon hit a target 43 miles away — or 70 kilometers — on the nose at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, in December 2020 using an Excalibur extended-range guided artillery shell.
https://www.defensenews.com/digital...ng-first-battalion-for-extended-range-cannon/
Fielding to take place in 2023 , and Murica so proud of it
Their touted ERCA so happily hitting target of 70 km away as if thats a new thing.
New for Murica no doubt.
But old stuff to China, very old stuff.
China already got brigades if not divisions of better arty operational for years.
And definately, in the future got even much longer reach and bigger bang, and a lot lot more than the poor Muricans.
And it seems can fire twice as many shells than Muricans, in additional to longer reach.
So much so that their client KSA refused Murican arty despite lots of arm twisting as Chinese that much better,
Without having to boast about that.
So anytime Murica want to send her brave boys against China to remain forever young.
As for the time now
Only a puny measily 70 km? And you want to blow hot air on that here?
And just prototype?
China been there and done that.
A few years ago.
And China aint prototype but operational
And even greater heights for China when China introduced the plasma artillery.
What The Hell Is China’s New 'Magnetized Plasma Artillery'?
But Chinese scientists believe that magnetized plasma artillery will be so light and energy-efficient that it can be mounted on tanks
(from your own Murican writers too!!
)
Likely before end of 2021. But again, China might not want to announce that and keep that
as a surprise for those who decided to fight China.
WAY WAY WAY AHEAD OF MURICA
In the meantime, what I posted before and posting here again
Murica latest latest weapons still a far cry from Chinese weapons.
Chinese tube artillery amd MRLS systems got longer reach and bigger bangs than those of Muricans.
And of even greater importance, China got a lot lot more of those than Muricans
USA is a distant third to Russia and China. Be that in tube artillery or rocket artillery.
**Chinese tube artillery**
Top 10 Self-Propelled Howitzers
Saudi Arabia uses Chinese NORINCO PLZ-45 self propelled howitzer for the clear advantage over that of the best of USA artillery. More accurate and longer reach than the best of USA artillery. And Saudi Arabia is USA captive country and yet refused to use USA artillery as that so inferior to China.
PLZ-52 is capable of firing a full range of Chinese 155 mm munitions. Range of a standard High-Explosive Fragmentation (HE-FRAG) projectile is around 30 km and around 40 km of extended-range projectile. Maximum range of fire is 53 km with rocket-assisted projectile. It has been reported that China developed a GPS-guided 155 mm projectile. It was claimed that this projectile has a whooping maximum range of 100 km and accuracy of 40 m.
Saudis Use Chinese-made Cannons in Yemen (
Saudis Use Chinese-made Cannons in Yemen
)
Rate of fire
Maximum:8–10 rounds/min
Sustained: 2 rounds/min
Look at the M109 below
Rate of fire
Maximum: 4 rpm/3 min.
Sustained: 1 rpm
Effective firing range
Conventional: 18 km (11 mi)
RAP
: 30 km (19 mi)
M109 totally outmatched by the PLZ-45.
It is not a wonder why even Saudi Arabia bought PLZ-45 despite they being a captive client country of USA and yet refused and rejected USA arty despite the obvious massive arm twisting of USA on Saudi Arabia.
**Rocket Artillery **
Now China is as good if not better than Russians in rocket artillery.
Top 10 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (
Top 10 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems
)
The PHL 03 is a Chinese artillery rocket system. It is a copy of the Soviet
Smerch (
Smerch Multiple Launch Rocket System
)
. It reportedly entered service with the Chinese army in 2004-2005. The PHL 03 is also being proposed for the export customers as the AR2. It has been exported to Morocco (one battalion with 36 units).
The PHL 03 has 12 tubes for 300 mm rockets. A standard rocket weights around 800 kg and has a 280 kg warhead. Maximum range of fire is 70-130 km depending on the warhead type. Though some sources report that rockets of this system has a maximum range of 150 km. Rockets are available with High Explosive Fragmentation (HE-FRAG), fuel-air explosive, and cluster warheads with anti-armor and anti-personnel submunitions. Cluster warheads may also carry self-targeting anti-tank munitions. A full salvo of this system could potentially cover an area of up to 67 hectares.
**Even though the PHL 03 is a Chinese version of the Smerch, it appears that Chinese overtook Russians in terms of rockets, as rockets of the PHL 03 have longer range than those of the Smerch. Manufacturers claim, that Chinese 300 mm rockets are not compatible with the Russian Smerch rockets as these use different propellant motors and components.**
China's PHL03, advanced Multiple Launch Rocket System (
China's PHL03, advanced Multiple Launch Rocket System
)
Various types of the 300 mm caliber rocket shells fired by the PHL03 are equipped with simple automatic correction system which allows more dense impact points. The impact point intensity doubles and the accuracy triples. In this way, a high kill probability with fewer rocket shells is possible.
Comparison with its peers
From the table above, it can be concluded that in terms of overall design, or in particular, the range, intensity, power, survivability and maneuverability, the PHL03 MLRS has a series of major breakthroughs compared with traditional rockets. Some of its aspects meet or even exceed the world's advanced level.
The service of the PHL03 Multiple Launch Rocket System has greatly enhanced the capability of remote fire support of the Chinese military. The operational performance of the system will continue to improve with the development of China's rocket shell technology. And it will become an indispensable remote firepower for the Chinese military.
And read this too
China’s new PCL191 multiple launch rocket system casts shadow over Taiwan Strait
- The ‘mystery’ hardware that appeared without a name at the National Day parade in October is the PLA’s most powerful MLRS ever, experts say
- System capable of firing eight 370mm rockets 350km or two 750mm ballistic missiles 500km
China’s new PCL191 multiple launch rocket system is capable of firing ballistic missiles up to 500km. Photo: Handout
The multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) that made its public debut at China’s
National Day parade
on October 1 has been identified as a state-of-the-art piece of weaponry capable of firing both rockets and ballistic missiles, according to a leading military magazine.
A report in the latest issue of
Modern Ships also gave the new hardware a name – the Type PCL191 – saying it was a modular launcher based on the AR3 system developed by China for the export market.
Unlike other weapon systems on display in Beijing, which had their names emblazoned along their sides, the Type PCL191 rumbled through the streets of Beijing on the back of heavy-duty trucks with almost complete anonymity.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/mil...91-multiple-launch-rocket-system-casts-shadow
