US Navy artillery’s range now triple that of Russia’s naval guns
The US has managed to extend its artillery range to 50 km with its new Excalibur N5 shell. The shots were fired from an MK45 Mod. 4 ship-based artillery system, which has a basic range of 15-16 km. However, long distance shots are typically less accurate and lead to an overexpenditure of ammunition.
The new 127 mm shell was developed by Raytheon, and has been equipped with a special GPS navigation system, which enables it to be accurate despite the range boost to 48.1 km. Satisfactory results were reported during the most recent tests.
A Raytheon representative said that the MK45 Mod. 4 gun has obtained the ability to hit targets at a distance three times greater than the range of the AK-176MA, the most modern artillery system in the Russian Navy’s possession.
The latter system was based on the AK-176, which has been in use since 1979. The modified version can fire up to 15 km at a rate of 124 shots per minute. One of the primary differences from the American MK45 is the AK-176MA’s 76 mm caliber.