A team from across BAe Systems has been awarded the second phase of an MOD study programme to integrate a 155mm gun on future warships. The study will also assess fitting the more powerful system to existing ships.
If successful, and assuming continued funding, the new gun could potentially replace the current 4.5 inch (11cm) weapon which is a standard fit on the Navy's fleet of destroyers and frigates and has been the customary weapon for much of the last 30 years.
Commander Clive Murgatroyd of Above Water Effects in the MOD's Equipment Capability organisation says the 155mm gun project is part of a programme to satisfy a naval fire support requirement:
"This requirement cannot be met by the current 4.5 inch [11cm] gun which is limited in range and precision," he said.
"This would mean moving to the 155mm gun where the Royal Navy could take advantage of improvements in 155mm technology in the land domain, while realising whole life cost reductions by using the same munitions as the army.
"The first and second phases are aimed at de-risking some of the challenges of replacing the 4.5 inch [11cm] ordnance with 155mm in the exisiting 4.5 inch [11cm] Mk 8 Mod 1 mounting, such as barrel heating mitigation, automated handling and loading of munitions and charge ignition.
"The team at BAe Systems Land Systems, Barrow-in-Furness, is making good progress, and has already designed some elegant engineering solutions, making the return of a 6 inch (15cm) naval gun look more viable as each phase progresses," he added.
Led by CORDA, BAE Systems' specialist consultancy arm, and the company's Land Systems business, the study will be delivered in conjunction with QinetiQ, Surface Fleet Solutions and Integrated System Technologies.
BAe Systems is also exploiting the breadth and depth of experience in wider business units such as Armament Systems in the US and Bofors in Sweden to ensure the UK customer benefits from its global corporate experience:
"This research could provide the Royal Navy with access to a more capable and wider range of munitions and allow them to benefit from land sector investments in 155mm calibre," said Samir Patel, CORDA's programme manager.
"The conversion will also present opportunities for significant through-life support savings as the Army and Royal Navy could potentially use a common stock."
John Kelly from BAE Systems' Land Systems, added:
"This programme not only has the potential to provide the Royal Navy with a low-cost route to a significant enhancement in capability but will ensure a uK based industrial artillery design and manufacture capability is sustained."
During the first study phase, valued at £1.5M, CORDA examined a low risk route to fitting an AS90 self-propelled howitzer ordnance onto the existing 4.5 inch (11cm) Mk8 Mod 1 gun mounting structure.
The second phase, worth around £700,000, will build on this research and examine in more detail some of the technology risks of the proposed solution. Should this phase of research prove successful, a further work package will be undertaken this year to perform initial land-based firing trials.
The last royal navy ship to boast 6 inch (15cm) guns was the cruiser HMS Blake, laid down in 1942 but not commissioned until 1961 and broken up in 1982. She was the last cruiser in royal naval service.
This article first appeared in the February 2008 edition of Preview - for Defence Equipment and Support, the Equipment Capability Customer and Industry.