Long Range Land Attack Projectile Explained
The Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP) is a canceled precision guided naval artillery shell for the U.S. Navy's Advanced Gun System (AGS). LRLAP was developed and produced by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, the prime contractor being BAE Systems.
The LRLAP would have used a rocket-assisted projectile with fin glide trajectory. The warhead effectiveness was considered comparable to that of the M795 artillery shell, and with the AGS it would have been capable of 6 round Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact (MRSI) in a span of 2 seconds.[1] It would have used a blast fragmentation type warhead.[2]
The LRLAP was designed for use in the AGS and is not compatible with any other weapon. The AGS is used only on the Zumwalt-class destroyer, with two AGSs on each ship. In November 2016, the Navy announced it had decided to cancel procurement of the LRLAP. This was due to rising costs resulting from the trimming of the Zumwalt-class destroyer fleet to just three ships, raising individual shell cost to $800,000-$1 million, about as much as the Tomahawk cruise missile. About 90 rounds had been secured for testing aboard the three hulls, but a full buy of about 2,000 planned rounds would be about $1.8-$2 billion.[3] [4]
Specifications
- 2004 Manufacturer's estimated per-unit cost at full production: $35,000[6]
- 150 LRLAP guided projectiles were procured in FY2015 with a unit cost of $476,946.67[7]
- unit cost in 2016: $800,000 to $1,000,000[3] [8]
Program history
- June 2005 - Successful guided flight test of the LRLAP sets gun-launched guided projectile range record of 59nmi.[9]
- September 2010 - Successful unguided flight test.[10]
- August 2011 - Two live fire tests of 45 nautical miles range.[11]
- June 2013 - Four full cycle live fire tests conducted.[12]
- September 2013 - Lockheed receives $18 million contract to transition the LRLAP to production. Fielding planned for 2016.[13]
- November 2016 - USN moves to cancel LRLAP projectiles citing excessive costs.[3]
127 mm (5-inch) version
In cooperation with BAE Systems a version of LRLAP was designed to be used with the 127 mm 5"/54 caliber Mark 45 guns used on most Navy ships. It was never produced.[14] Other guided munitions for these guns were BTERM and ERGM, which were also never produced.
Specifications
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Long Range Land Attack Projectile.
- Web site: Archived copy . 2012-10-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130730061830/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed/data/mfc/pc/LRLAP/mfc-lrlap-pc.pdf . 2013-07-30 . dead .
- http://www.defensenews.com/articles/new-warships-big-guns-have-no-bullets New Warship’s Big Guns Have No Bullets
- https://news.usni.org/2016/11/07/navy-planning-not-buying-lrlap-rounds Navy Planning on Not Buying More LRLAP Rounds for Zumwalt Class
- http://www.baesystems.com/ProductsServices/l_and_a_sea_lrap.html Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP) - BAE Systems
- Web site: 155 mm/62 (6.1") Mark 51 Advanced Gun System (AGS). Navweps.
- Web site: Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 President's Budget Submission. 9 November 2016. 137.
- Web site: LRLAP Will Boost Fire-Support Range. July 2004. Navy League of the United States.
- http://www.spacewar.com/news/miltech-05l.html DD(X) Team Flies Long-Range Land-Attack Projectile to Record Range - Space War
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2010/09/mil-100916-bae-systems01.htm BAE Systems Completes Successful Rocket Ballistic Test of 5-Inch Long Range Land Attack Projectile
- http://www4.marinelink.com/news/conducts-testing-round340586.aspx "Navy Conducts DDG 1000 Round Testing."
- http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=75215 "Navy Successfully Tests Long Range Attack Projectile."
- http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1261 Lockheed Martin Receives $18 Million Contract to Transition the LRLAP to Production
- http://events.us.baesystems.com/SAS/prodserv/pdf/BAE-Systems-LRLAP-5inch.pdf
