Northrop Grumman has received an indefinite-quantity contract from the U.S. Army to manufacture and deliver M1156 Precision Guidance Kits (PGK) with an integrated fuze, as well as their variants. The kits are designed to improve the accuracy of artillery ammunition, a capability that could prove particularly valuable in a potential conflict with russia or China.
According to the Pentagon, the agreement is a fixed-price contract valued at $862.8 million. The estimated completion date is September 3, 2031. Funding and the locations where the work will be performed will be determined separately for each individual order.
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Defense Express notes that the contract provides the U.S. Army with a framework to order and receive M1156 PGKs through 2031. Specific orders will now be placed as needed, with funding allocated in the relevant fiscal year.
As for the M1156 Precision Guidance Kit itself, it is designed to transform conventional artillery ammunition into precision-guided munitions. The kit is installed in place of the conventional fuze and uses GPS guidance and control surfaces to correct the projectile’s flight path. Northrop Grumman describes the PGK as a system that replaces conventional fuzes and transforms existing artillery rounds into GPS-guided precision weapons.
Using the system significantly reduces dispersion, which in turn reduces the number of rounds required to hit a target. This helps conserve ammunition and barrel life while increasing the overall effectiveness of artillery fire.
Of course, like any guidance system that relies on GPS, the M1156 is vulnerable to electronic warfare and GPS jamming. This is why work is ongoing to improve its resistance to interference. An alternative approach could involve laser guidance, with UAVs providing target designation.
Recently, General Dynamics tested its improved LR-PGK kit with the XM1113 rocket-assisted projectile. During the tests, the system reportedly demonstrated the ability to achieve a precision strike against a target at a range of 50 km.
The M1156 can be used with various artillery systems. South Korea has also begun developing a version of the fuze for use with the 155 mm K9 self-propelled howitzer. It is intended to reduce projectile dispersion during firing to one-sixth of the current level.
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