Long-range indirect fire support capabilities for precision and high efficiency strikes

The outcome should contribute to:

• EU strategic autonomy;
• European technological sovereignty:
• the reinforcement of innovation on key capabilities;
• strengthening the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB);
• increasing interoperability and developing potential European standards.

The increasingly complex geopolitical instability faced by the European Union, its Member States and EDF associated countries (Norway) requires continuous and unfragmented responses. To that purpose, the EDF promotes and contributes to the strategic autonomy and sovereignty of its Member States and EDF associated countries (Norway).

Considering the ongoing geopolitical situation, the objective of this study is to develop European solutions for 155mm (up to 52-calibre) and rocket artilleries adapted to the new threats by increasing the fire range compared to current systems while maintaining interoperability principle. The targeted solutions must be cost-driven based on the assumption of a symmetric high intensity battle.

Specific objective

Future capability and operational challenges in artillery require enhanced interoperability, agility, action range, accuracy, survivability, and security as well as ability to operate in adverse conditions and to obtain scalable effects while ensuring efficient maintainability, high level of operational readiness, and optimised life cycle cost. In this context and during the next coming years, the future generation of 155mm artillery projectiles and rockets (timeframe 2030) will be subject to numerous potential game-changing technologies, which are expected to enhance capabilities significantly.

The proposals must stimulate cross-border cooperation within the EU and with EDF associated countries and ensure the security of supply and strategic autonomy in a longer-term perspective.

The main objectives of this topic are to address challenges regarding precision, range (155mm shell: 80km with a minimum range of 50km; rocket: at least 150km), terminal effect and operation in stressful environment like GNSS-denied battlefield.

The proposals must address:

• a study of range-extending technologies;
• a parametric study of long range artillery ammunition requirements regarding further range increase, with identification of the compatibility between studied technologies and these future ammunitions, and identification of technological development roadmaps;
• the modular design of the major technologies including 155mm (up to 52-calibre) long range cargo ammunition;
• the prototyping of sub-systems.

Types of activities

The following table lists the types of activities which are eligible for this topic, and whether they are mandatory or optional (see Article 10(3) EDF Regulation):

The proposals must cover at least the following tasks as part of the mandatory activities:

• Study of sub-systems (in particular the propulsion sub-system) of 155mm (up to 52-calibre) artillery ammunition adapted to the existing European artillery guns. This study must include:
  • the parametric study of long range artillery ammunition requirements and limits (in terms of mass, propulsion, etc.) regarding further range increase (beyond the technologies to be designed and prototyped under this call topic), considering both current 155mm (up to 52-calibre) and future artillery guns (e.g. increase of the barrel length and chamber volume). In order to optimise further developments, this study should also include identification of the compatibility between studied technologies and these future ammunitions, and the identification of technological development roadmaps;
  • the provision of a roadmap for subsequent phases (e.g. qualification phase, anticipation of product optimisation during life cycle).
• Design:
  • design at sub-system level.
• System prototyping:
  • prototyping at sub-system level.

The proposals must substantiate synergies and complementarity with foreseen, ongoing, or completed R&D activities, notably those performed or envisaged in the context of EDF and its precursor programmes (e.g. EDIDP-NGPSC-PGA-2020 and EDIDP-NGPSC-LRIF-2020).

Moreover:

• projects addressing activities referred to in point (d) above must be based on harmonised defence capability requirements jointly agreed by at least two Member States or EDF associated countries (or, if studies within the meaning of point (c) are still needed to define the requirements, at least on the joint intent to agree on them)
• projects addressing activities referred to in points (e) to (h) above, must be:
  • supported by at least two Member States or EDF associated countries that intend to procure the final product or use the technology in a coordinated manner, including through joint procurement

and

• • based on common technical specifications jointly agreed by the Member States or EDF associated countries that are to co-finance the action or that intend to jointly procure the final product or to jointly use the technology (or, if design within the meaning of point (d) is still needed to define the specifications, at least on the joint intent to agree on them).

Functional requirements

The proposals should meet the following functional requirements:

• Modularity and interoperability:
  • interoperability between EU Member States, EDF associated countries (Norway) and NATO. Especially, the 155mm ammunition should be compliant with the Artillery JB MOU and be testable in a proven 155mm (up to 52-calibre) artillery;
  • both rocket and 155mm (up to 52-calibre) ammunition should be developed following a modular approach (Canard Actuation System / Fin Actuation System, aerodynamic skeleton, seeker, etc.), with interface specifications and validation;
  • the ammunition should have a range of around 80km for the 155mm shell and at least 150km for the rocket. The minimum range for the 155mm shell is 50km but at least 60km should be pursued;
  • the ammunition should provide a terminal effect with a metric precision below 10m (CEP@50) range, in all weather conditions and in a GNSS contested environment;
  • terminal effect: the ammunition should integrate a high payload warhead that should be effective against soft targets, light vehicles, small building with the ability to attack the enemy (high pay-off targets) in depth, to strike a counter-fire. Accordingly, warhead and terminal effect should be optimised (scalable effect depending on target objectives); the use of insensitive explosive (HE IM, MURAT 1*) is requested, as far as possible. When not possible, this has to be justified;
  • the ammunition guidance and navigation should be GPS and Galileo compatible, without creating any restriction of use to EU Member States and EDF associated countries (Norway);
  • the ammunition safety of use should be as high as possible, as per the best standards related to life duration and insensitiveness to aggressions. Compliance with NATO STANAG 4439 (related to insensitive munition) and STANAG 4187 (related to safety) is expected;
  • the ammunition should be programmable to realise the mission, with minimum interference with the gun system;
  • an integrated in-flight re-targeting capability (including mission change and/or a mission abort) should be assessed for the different categories of ammunition;
  • terminal guidance should be affordable and effective against moving and stationary targets;
  • terminal phase characteristics (i.e. fuse and warhead architecture) should be determined according to the kind of effect considered. Typical options for activation are impact, delayed impact (also against reinforced infrastructure, bunkers, etc.) and predefined altitude;
  • high survivability against modern air defence systems;
  • the ammunition should present a high robustness against jamming.
• The ammunition should consider storage constraints:
  • The ammunition availability should consider operational needs taking into account storage constraints due to the frequency of use of such type of projectiles (ammunition still effective within a 15-year duration to be compliant with other types of ammunition) with particular attention to:
    • increased capacity of power supply;
    • the robustness of the supply chain.
  • The propellant charges should be studied with the intention of reducing wear, limiting dispersion and yet with increased firing distances.
• Performances should be achieved without modifying the requirement of existing European artillery rocket launchers and 155mm (up to 52-calibre) artillery guns.
• Every technology and component developed to address the above challenge should be capable of being integrated into an artillery rocket. Therefore, technical specifications at all stages should encompass the two categories of ammunition. It is expected that the stress put on compactness and resistance to the extreme thermo-mechanical environment of a 155mm artillery shell will enable technologies and components to withstand the environment of an artillery rocket as well.
• The modular architecture should allow, through flexibility and, if needed, specific subsystems, ammunition compatibility between EU Member States, EDF associated countries (Norway) and NATO countries and especially with existing European artillery rocket launchers and 155mm (up to 52-calibre) artillery guns.