A U.S.-specific version of the 155 mm Vulcano GLR (Guided Long Range) artillery projectile will be developed under the U.S. Army’s Extended Range Artillery Projectile (ERAP) program. The effort will be carried out jointly by the original developers, Italy’s Leonardo and Germany’s Diehl Defence, together with General Dynamics.
"The selected solution is based on the qualified and combat-proven Vulcano 155 Guided Long Range ammunition family, which has successfully demonstrated its capabilities over recent years," Diehl stated.
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In this case, "combat-proven" refers directly to the operational use of Vulcano ammunition by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, the number of rounds supplied to Ukraine has remained relatively limited. The first batch ordered in 2022 reportedly consisted of just 225 projectiles.
Ukrainian artillery units began using the simpler Vulcano BER (Ballistic Extended Range) variant in 2023. Fired from 155 mm artillery systems with 52-caliber barrels, these rounds can engage targets at ranges of up to 50 km.
Ukraine also received the more advanced Vulcano GLR version. It is known that Ukrainian crews operating the AHS Krab successfully struck targets at distances of 70 km, which is the projectile’s stated maximum range when fired from 155/52 artillery systems. Part of this extended reach comes from the Vulcano’s sub-caliber design.
More broadly, Vulcano is a precision-guided munition that combines long range with a sophisticated guidance package. The projectile uses inertial navigation and satellite guidance, which can be supplemented by either semi-active laser guidance or an infrared seeker. The manufacturers describe Vulcano as one of the most accurate artillery projectiles currently available, claiming a circular error probable (CEP) of less than five meters.
Its accuracy is further enhanced by a programmable fuze capable of airburst, impact, and delayed detonation modes, allowing the round to engage both exposed targets and fortified positions with high effectiveness.
For the U.S. Army, long-range ammunition currently represents the most practical way to increase the firing range of existing M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, which retain 39-caliber barrels. After all, the service has yet to field a replacement for the M109 platform, whose origins date back more than six decades.
However, when fired from an M109A7, the Vulcano GLR can reach targets at distances of up to 55 km, approximately 15 km less than the maximum range achievable from modern 52-caliber artillery systems. Nevertheless, it offers a significant increase in reach without requiring the introduction of a new artillery platform.
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