US Begins Ordering Excalibur Ib GPS-Guided Shells

On Jan 3/13, Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ received a $56.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to buy M982A1 Excalibur 155mm Precision Engagement Projectiles, also known as the Block Ib. Raytheon confirms that this FY 2012 contract marks the start of low-rate initial production, with options through FY 2016 for American and foreign military sales. Deliveries to the US Army will begin in Q4 2013.

Unlike ATK’s screw-in PGK nose, the M982 Excalibur is delivered as a complete 155mm artillery shell, with GPS guidance and pop-out fins.

Rapid Fire Jan. 17, 2013: Airbus Military 2012 Sales, Deliveries

• Airbus Military delivered 29 aircraft in 2012 – 20 light and medium military transport, 4 P-3 conversions, and 5 A330 MRTTs – and received orders for 32 planes: 28 C295s and 4 CN235s. The backlog stands at 220 aircraft: 174 A400Ms, 17 MRTTs, 5 CN235s, 20 C295s, and 4 P-3s.

• France’s AFP [AFP] says that according to unnamed sources “close to the talks” between India and Dassault, an option for an additional 63 Rafale jets could be added to their buy-in-progress. First they need to finalize the contract, agree on what will be manufactured in India, and at the moment the country is decreasing its defense budget. But this could make sense if their 5th-gen option keeps getting postponed.