The U.S. State Department has approved a Foreign Military Sale to Finland, which includes the provision of M1156A1 Precision Guidance Kits (PGKs) and associated equipment, valued at an estimated $70 million. Finland has requested to purchase 5,500 M1156A1 PGK multi-option fuzes, a significant addition to an existing agreement that was previously valued under the congressional notification threshold at $970,000. The original contract included technical assistance, logistics, PGK spare parts, and program support. This new notification incorporates these original items while expanding the deal to include the additional 5,500 fuzes. The transaction also includes several non-Major Defense Equipment (MDE) items, such as compatibility testing kits, antennas, integration kits, precision-guided munition simulators, and further technical assistance. These elements will support the effective deployment of the M1156A1 PGK across Finland’s artillery systems.
The M1156 Precision Guidance Kit (PGK), developed by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, is a precision guidance system that enhances the accuracy of 155mm artillery shells. Similar in concept to the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) for bombs, the PGK transforms conventional artillery rounds into guided munitions by screwing into the nose of the shell. The system utilizes a GPS-based guidance system with small aerodynamic fins to correct the projectile’s flight, ensuring a more accurate strike. This is analogous to the addition of a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail-kit to a dumb iron bomb, creating a precision guided munition. The M982 Excalibur was fielded as a guided shell that effectively hit within 6 m (20 ft) of a target, but the Army developed the M1156 as a cheaper alternative.
Originally fielded by the U.S. Army in 2013, the PGK has seen significant upgrades since its inception.In combat, the PGK drastically reduces the circular error probable (CEP) of traditional unguided shells, enhancing both effectiveness and safety. For instance, while unguided M549A1 artillery rounds have a CEP of 267 meters at maximum range, the PGK can reduce this to within 50 meters, making it far more accurate. Additionally, a built-in fail-safe mechanism ensures that the shell will not explode if it misses the target by more than 150 meters, minimizing the risk of collateral damage. The latest version, the M1156A1, offers improved accuracy and is compatible with advanced long-range artillery shells like the M1128 and M1113. These upgraded modules are expected to provide a circular error probable of just 10 meters at distances of up to 40 kilometers, significantly enhancing the precision of artillery strikes for both the U.S. and Finland.
Finish Defence Forces have two types of 155 mm calibre system: 155 K 83/83-97 and 155 GH 52 APU towed howitzers and the more recently acquired Hanwha K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer. The Tampella 155 K 83 is a Finnish towed 155 mm field gun manufactured in the 1980s by Tampella. The 155 GH 52 APU (Finnish designation 155 K 98) is a Finnish towed artillery piece developed in 1998. It is largely based on the 155 K 83 with some major enhancements. It can be moved on the field short distances with its own auxiliary diesel engine, which is used in all 56 units used by the Finnish defence forces, is a 78-kilowatt Deutz diesel engine. The 155 GH 52 was originally manufactured by Oy Tampella AB industries (today a part of Patria, Patria Vammas Systems Oy). The K9 Thunder is a South Korean 155 mm self-propelled howitzer designed and developed by Hanwha Aerospace. The official Finnish designation of the howitzer is 155 PSH K9 FIN, colloquially called Moukari (meaning Sledgehammer). Vehicles receive domestic modification via Millog.
