In the United States have been tested precision howitzers with a range of more than 100 kilometers. The tests were conducted under the ERCA program (Extended Range Cannon Artillery – “Cannon artillery with increased range), reports “Popular mechanics”.
As the newspaper writes, shooting carried out on the territory of military ground in Yuma Arizona. At the trials used an upgraded Paladin self-propelled howitzer, which established an elongated trunk HM907 and have applied the new XM1113 projectile rocket booster. According to US military, advantage of such howitzers are significantly increase the range and rate of fire, and reliability.
Program to create tube artillery with increased range of fire appeared in the US in 2015 year. Under this program, proposed to create a new howitzer with long barrel, new shell and a new propellant charge. All components of the new artillery system ERCA received own working designation: 155-mm howitzer of a new type – XM907, controlled rocket-assisted projectile is named for her XM1113, propellant - XM645. Cannon XM907 developed based howitzer M777ER and differs from it a barrel (58 calibers instead 55). At regular M777 howitzer barrel length 39 calibres.
Last year, the US military claimed, that could make a shot with the help of tools and elongated projectile to him at a distance 62 km, calling is not a limit value.
For more information about the American program, you can read the material “mILITARY REVIEW”: Increased range tube artillery. ERCA program (USA)
