LRLAP Test Successes Advance Prospects for Naval Fire Support

By RICHARD R. BURGESS, Managing Editor

Successful test flights of a long-range naval artillery projectile paved the way for BAE Systems to award Lockheed Martin a $120 million contract for further development and testing of the projectile.

The Long-Range Land-Attack Projectile (LRLAP) is being developed for the Advanced Gun System, a naval system being developed by BAE Systems for the Navy’s next-generation destroyer, the DD(X). The LRLAP is a precision munition designed to provide Marine expeditionary forces rapid-response, high-volume, all-weather fire support.

The 155mm LRLAP is equipped with a rocket motor, tail fins and a navigation system with Global Positioning System capability to guide it to its intended target.

During the most recent tests this summer, the projectile impacted the predicted target area at ranges of 59, 46.5 and 63 nautical miles, respectively, distance records for gun-launched naval munitions. (The holder of the world record for land-based gun artillery is the German 232mm Paris Gun, which bombarded Paris with 277-pound projectiles for 140 days in 1918 at a range of 74.6 miles.) The LRLAP is designed for precision support to a range of 83 nautical miles.

“[LRLAP’s] range, accuracy and lethality will give the DD(X) the capability to support military operations in coastal areas with devastating force and minimum collateral damage,” said Capt. James Murdoch of the program executive office for Integrated Warfare Systems.

“LRLAP will have a key role in future coastal and urban combat scenarios,” said Pete Jasinis, Lockheed Martin’s LRLAP program manager.

The DD(X) is designed to be equipped with two fully automated 155mm Advanced Gun Systems and a magazine capacity of 920 LRLAP rounds.

Development of the LRLAP also has been supported by Science Applications International Corp., Custom Analytical Engineering, Alliant Techsystems, Goodrich and Honeywell.

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin is scheduled to deliver more than 100 LRLAP projectiles for development testing from 2006-2008 and qualification testing for the Advanced Gun System in 2009-2010. The company expects to begin full-rate production of the projectile in 2011.

Defense Industry Notes

Northrop Grumman Ship Systems has been awarded a $109.8 million Naval Sea Systems Command contract for advanced planning and engineering for a new design of amphibious assault ship, the LHA(R), designed to replace the Tarawa-class LHAs. The LHA(R) will be based on the gas turbine-powered Makin Island, the eighth Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. The new design will not feature a well deck but have enhanced aviation capabilities, including the ability to operate the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.

General Dynamics Land Systems has been awarded a $43 million Marine Corps Systems Command contract to complete the system development and demonstration phase of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) program. Beginning in 2007, the Marine Corps plans to procure 1,103 EFVs to replace its 30-year-old design, the AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicle.

Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems has been awarded a $49.8 million Naval Air Systems Command contract to integrate the digital Common Cockpit and mission systems for the third low-rate initial production batch of MH-60R helicopters. The Navy expects to complete the aircraft’s operational evaluation this month, and full-rate production is expected to begin in 2006.

The USS Halsey (DDG 97), the Navy’s 47th Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was commissioned July 30 at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. The ship is the 22nd of the class to be built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. A sister ship, the Farragut (DDG 99) — built by General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works — was christened July 23 in Bath, Maine.