US Army Tests Long Range SuperCannon

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The United States Army has recently tested its latest weapon to intimidate the Chinese and the Russians: a supergun capable of firing shells more than three times farther than the standard howitzer.

The 155 caliber XM1299 cannon has recently undergone tests at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The cannon utilizes a supercharged propellant to fire two different types of ammunitions about 65 kilometers, a traditional howitzer can fire shells at an approximate range of 18 kilometers.

In the tests, the Excalibur precision-guided munition managed to precisely hit a target, while the other munition type, the rocket-assisted XM1113, was tested for range and not precision.

Army officials have mentioned that the new weapon promises a new way to attack targets that lie between 20 to 60 kilometers away. The weapon “allows commanders to attack differently, provides them a weapon system other than helicopters and armed drones to go after targets that are deeper on the battlefield.”

The Army is looking to experiment with other projectiles in the future, including a ramjet powered shell. The Army expects a contractor will demonstrate ramjet powered shells sometime this year.

The challenge now is to finish work on an autoloader that will allow the cannon to fire six to eight rounds a minute according to Defenseone.com. The autoloader capability will enable cannons to deliver a volume of firepower simular to a bomber aircraft.

The United States Army has ordered 18 XM1299 cannons from BAE Systems and is expecting to operate the superweapon on the battlefield by the year 2023.