Distance record set by Ramjet 155
NewsOctober 11, 2023
YUMA PROVING GROUND, Arizona. A record for longest indirect fire test of a ramjet-powered artillery projectile was set by a team from Nammo and Boeing alongside U.S. Army officials — when firing a Ramjet 155 munition from a 58-caliber Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. The test advances development efforts for the Army’s top modernization priority, Long Range Precision Fires.
“Our objective was to demonstrate the ability to safely operate from the ERCA system and validate our performance. Both objectives were met.” says Gil Griffin, executive director of Boeing Phantom Works. “The team is working to deliver a superior, affordable precision strike weapon that can neutralize critical targets at long distances.”
The test follows last year’s Boeing-Nammo test which recoorded the longest-ever indirect fire test of a Ramjet 155 munition. That test was completed using a 39-caliber towed artillery cannon at the Andøya Test Center in Norway.
“This program now has a thoroughly tested propulsion system that guarantees enormous range increases for all artillery cannons,” says Morten Brandtzæg, Nammo CEO. “We believe the major development hurdles have now been cleared and production is viable within a relatively short timeframe.”
The joint Boeing-Nammo solution is being developed under the Army’s XM1155 program. The Ramjet 155, considered a powered guided artillery munition, leverages an air-breathing engine design that uses the cannon firing to provide the speed needed for combustion.
For an upcoming test, Boeing and Nammo experts will integrate a precision guidance system, leveraging a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) mission computer onto the Ramjet 155. This demonstration will test the system’s maturity and effectiveness against stationary and moving targets, and readiness to transition into the next phase of development.
"Ramjet technology heralds a revolution in artillery, significantly extending range and delivering strategic advantages to our users,” Brandtzæg says.
