Swedish Defence Matériel Agency (FMV) supported the Dutch test shoots with the Excalibur munition at Älvdalen’s firing range. When the Netherlands performed firing with the Excalibur artillery projectile at Älvdalen’s firing range, the FMV team documented the process with high-speed cameras, drones and doppler radar. FMV Test & Evaluation (T&E) carries out assignments for other countries’ defense forces and industries, to make it possible to maintain the Swedish test and trial ability. FMV T&E documented the Excalibur shots with high-speed cameras and drones at the target. The projectile tracks were recorded with Doppler radar. T&E also filmed around and during the exercise to compile material from the entire process and the effect of the projectile on different targets, from ammunition loading of the artillery piece to detonation in the target.
The Netherlands is the second European customer to buy the Excalibur Ib after Sweden, whose BAE Bofors partnered with Raytheon for the development of the precision-guided, extended range artillery round. Deliveries are expected to begin later this year. The Netherlands Ministry of Defense is purchasing Raytheon Excalibur Ib 155mm artillery rounds for its PZH 2000 self-propelled howitzers under a previously announced Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement. When fired from the Dutch PzH 2000 artillery system, Excalibur can fly up to 50 kilometers, score a direct hit and deliver lethal effects in all types of weather and battlefield conditions. Nearly 770 Excalibur GPS-guided rounds have been fired in combat, often striking less than two meters from precisely-located targets. Other international users of Excalibur rounds include Canada, Australia, and Germany.
