The Advanced Gun System (AGS) will provide flexible, sustainable and affordable firepower against a wide range of littoral and inland targets, as well as highly-advanced gunfire capabilities for anti-surface warfare. The AGS, with the highly lethal Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP), will support the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps expeditionary and joint operations warfighters in the littorals and deep inland.
Drawing from a fully-automated, below-deck weapon handling and storage system for up to 750 rounds, the AGS will be capable of a maximum sustained firing rate of 10 rounds per minute and will fire at ranges of up to 83 nautical miles. By eliminating the need for personnel in the magazine, the AGS design supports the Navy’s goals to significantly reduce overall crew requirements.
AGS is being developed as a complete weapon system through the extensive use of rapid virtual prototyping, with the gun, magazine, ammunition and support subsystems integration all within the responsibility of the BAE Systems team. The extended range for AGS payloads will be achieved through an optimized balance of gun-launch and projectile rocket motor energies.
The AGS integrated system control, or ISC, combines both gun control and fire control elements within the AGS architecture for seamless integration to the total ship computing environment. AGS design innovations also incorporate advanced thermal and erosion management technologies to ensure extended barrel life and to minimize infrared signature.
Completing several successful test fires in 2005, the 155-mm AGS with LRLAP will support U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps expeditionary and joint operations warfighters in the littorals and deep inland.
Drawing from a fully-automated weapon handling and storage system for up to 600 rounds, AGS will employ a family of GPS/inertial measurement unit-guided and ballistic 155-mm munitions capable of delivering a unitary, high-explosive warhead at extreme range.
With DDG 1000 as part of a naval task force or as an independent expeditionary strike force, AGS will launch LRLAP at high velocity from over the horizon to prepare and shape the battlefield. AGS will be capable of a maximum sustained firing rate of 10 rounds per minute to deliver high-volume, 155-mm LRLAP fires at ranges of up to 74 nautical miles. Each DDG 1000 can mass 140 to 160 projectiles in the air at once and direct multiple round simultaneous impact effects against single or multiple targets.
AGS and LRLAP continue to demonstrate success in 2005 and 2006. The BAE Systems’ DDG 1000 Armament Team is currently developing the transformational 155-mm AGS and LRLAP munition under the ongoing engineering development model contract phase. While virtual development of key elements is moving forward, testing at other BAE Systems and AGS Team facilities is demonstrating physical and operational capabilities of AGS and LRLAP. BAE Systems’ subcontractors have already demonstrated LRLAP concepts for suitability of structural integrity, flight stability, navigation, guidance and control system characteristics. Tests have already demonstrated the propulsion approach required to achieve the challenging range goal of 63 nautical miles.
In developing the LRLAP Tactical Baseline Design, BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin tests will establish confidence in meeting challenging performance and reliability goals, and in addressing requirements directly related to LRLAP fielding.
Specifications
Primary mission: Land attack
Secondary mission: Antisurface warfare
Round-
Projectile: 155-mm
Propulsion: Rocket motor
Guidance: GPS/IMU guided
Length: 88 inches/2.2 m
Weight: 230 lbs/104.3 kg
Range: up to 74 nautical miles
Rate of fire: 10 rpm
MRSI: 6 rounds within 2 sec
Source: BAE Systems