Raytheon has completed qualification flight tests of its Excalibur Ia-2 precision-guided projectile to validate its performance and efficacy at the US Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, US.

During the tests, a total of eight rounds were fired and all landed within 5m of the intended target, meeting all stringent test objectives.

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Commenting on the test flights, US Army Excalibur programme manager lieutenant colonel Josh Walsh said the programme had achieved significant milestones in a very short period of time.

"In two years time, the Excalibur Ib programme has moved from a competition to being well on its way to a milestone C."

"In two years time, the Excalibur Ib programme has moved from a competition to being well on its way to a milestone C," Walsh added.

Raytheon Missile Systems’ Excalibur programme director Kevin Matthies said that the qualification flight tests evaluated the weapon’s latest design.

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"Our team is focused on giving our warfighters an Excalibur Ib design that improves performance and reliability," Matthies said.

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Derived from Raytheon’s combat-proven Excalibur Ia, the 155mm precision-guided artillery projectile is designed to deliver a pinpoint precision capability to troops for defeating targets from safe distances, causing minimum collateral damage.

It features a non-spinning fixed titanium base, fewer parts and follows a simplified development approach compared with Excalibur Ia, to meet the army’s objectives for improved reliability at significantly reduced costs.

A reprogramming port is also present in the weapon to allow the operator to modify performance of the round, according to changing threats and emerging tactics.

Raytheon received a $23m contract from the army in August 2010 for finalising the design of the Excalibur lb projectile, which is expected to enter into full-rate production in 2016.

Successfully deployed in 2007, the Excalibur is an extended range precision-guided, autonomous artillery round capable of providing accurate, first round fire-for-effect capability to current and future 155mm howitzers in urban environments.