US Army Cancel Long-Range Cannon Project Due to Technical Issues

Defense News ,India :-  The US Army has decided to cancel its Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program after facing challenges in the prototype stage last year.

Launched in 2018, the ERCA initiative aimed to enhance the Paladin M109 self-propelled howitzer by adding a 30-foot, 58-caliber gun tube to launch 155-millimeter rounds, providing a long-range capability with an expected operational range of 70 kilometers (43.5 miles).

Unfortunately, the project faced "technical challenges" that hindered its progress, and the prototypes did not meet the necessary criteria for production, according to Doug Bush, the army acquisition head. The initial plan was to deploy 24 new systems, including the ERCA, to soldiers by the end of 2023.

Despite efforts, the army concluded the prototyping activity last fall, with the weapon falling short of success.

The troubled program encountered engineering challenges as early as June 2023, leading to the expectation that the ERCA program would miss its deployment target. The original completion date was set for December 2022. Live-fire tests revealed excessive wear and tear on the cannon, even after firing a relatively low number of rounds.

Instead of developing a new system, the US Army has decided to shift its focus to existing systems for long-range artillery capabilities. The plan includes issuing a request for information and selecting promising candidates domestically and internationally.

Doug Bush emphasized the need for a longer-range artillery platform, and the army is set to request $55 million in 2025 to explore suitable extended-range cannon solutions.