The company will work to increase the range and rate of fire of current and future M109A7 self-propelled howitzers in the Extended Range Cannon Artillery Increment 1 prototype series. ERCA will be integrated onto the M109A7, replacing its current 39-caliber turret with a 58-caliber, 30-foot long gun barrel. The modifications would double the current range of the vehicle's firepower.
ERCA is a collaboration of BAE Systems and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md.
The M109 series, a tank-like vehicle with a crew of four, first saw use in 1963, and its variants are included in over 60 armies around the world.
"ERCA is a significant technological step forward for the Army's artillery portfolio," Scott Davis of BAE Systems' Combat Vehicles division said in a statement "We were selected based on our years of experience in the development of self-propelled howitzer systems. Long-range precision fire is a top priority for the Army, and we are pleased to be a partner in efforts to equip soldiers with the latest technology."
BAE Systems received a $215.8 million contract with the U.S. Army in October 2018 for production of the M109A7 howitzer.
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