The 155 mm round has a range of 150 km thanks to a unique design of six flaps that slow the rotation of the projectile from 200 to 20 revolutions per second as it leaves the gun barrel. This stabilizes the flight and allows the wings to open.
Gary Hopper, the company's vice president, said at the show that the LRMP can achieve this range using a standard U.S. Army M777 howitzer with a 39-caliber barrel.
To achieve maximum range, the projectile is fired in a high parabola to reach a high altitude. The projectile then separates from the launcher, opens its wings and flies to the target at the selected coordinates.
The new munition has the ability to perform complex maneuvers during the final phase of its flight. It can change course 360 degrees to accurately engage complex targets in static and moving conditions.
Long Range Maneuvering Projectile (LRMP)
Company representatives also showed a short video in which the LRMP covers the entire flight distance and performs a complex maneuver to hit a moving target in the final segment. The latter may indicate the possible installation of an optical guidance system in the munition.
General Atomics plans to fire the first test round of the LRMP in April. The firing test will include the wing deployment phase. Full-scale testing of the LRMP ammunition is planned for the end of this year.
Source: Naval News Main image credits: Akela Freedom
