PRECISION ARTILLERY MUNITIONS

The Precision Artillery Munitions program is a key component of the Army's Cannon Transformation Strategy, focusing on the procurement and modernization of advanced artillery munitions. This budget line item is managed under the Army's Procurement of Ammunition appropriation and specifically supports the acquisition of precision-guided and area-effect munitions for 155mm artillery systems. The overarching goal is to enhance the Army's organic precision fires capability, improve lethality, and reduce collateral damage in both combat and training environments.

Excalibur is the primary precision-guided extended range 155mm artillery projectile funded under this line item. Its main objective is to provide Brigade Combat Teams with a reliable, organic precision fires capability. Excalibur is an internationally developed munition, with the Kingdom of Sweden as a cooperative partner, and is currently fielded and approved for service use. The projectile offers increased range with current systems and demonstrated accuracy, enabling first-round effects on target, reducing the number of rounds needed, and minimizing collateral damage.

The Excalibur program incorporates advanced features such as a shaped trajectory configuration, allowing user-defined angles of attack and fall to maximize target effects. It is designed to be resistant to GPS jamming and includes a mature, compartmented design that supports future upgrades. The FY 2026 budget supports the procurement of Excalibur Ib projectiles for war reserve inventory requirements in accordance with Army and Department of Defense munitions policies. These munitions are intended for operational, training, and test requirements, as well as homeland defense and emergency response missions.

Cannon-Delivered Area Effects Munitions (C-DAEM) Armor is the second major program under this line item, though it does not have a FY 2026 budget request. C-DAEM Armor is being developed to replace the Department of Defense's non-compliant stockpile of 155mm Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) projectiles. Its goal is to provide U.S. ground forces with the capability to engage, destroy, neutralize, or suppress area targets, including light to heavy armor, at extended ranges. The projectile features a seeker, shape-charged warhead, and M-Code GPS for enhanced anti-armor capability, and is compatible with existing 155mm platforms. Future objectives for C-DAEM include integrating a datalink for round-to-round communications and in-flight targeting updates.

The justification for the Precision Artillery Munitions line item is grounded in supporting critical Army war reserve, operational, training, and test requirements, as outlined in Department of Defense Instruction 3000.04 and Army Regulation 5-13. War reserve requirements are aligned with Combatant Commander Operational Plans and homeland defense missions. Training requirements support both active and reserve components at Army schools, home stations, and combined training centers. Test requirements ensure the continued development, safety, and quality assurance of Army munitions throughout their life cycle.

For FY 2026, the focus is on maintaining and building the Excalibur war reserve inventory, with procurement quantities and funding adjusted to meet Army goals. The production contract for Excalibur Ib is planned for award in April 2026, with first deliveries expected in April 2027. The program also funds ongoing producibility, reliability, and obsolescence efforts, including integration of Military Code GPS receivers, electronics upgrades, and critical Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) improvements. These investments ensure the long-term viability and effectiveness of the Army's precision artillery capabilities.