Modernizing the Precision Guidance Kit

Modernizing the Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) for continued precision and reliability for 155mm artillery

GPS-guided precision weapons on the battlefield can ensure near perfect accuracy while reducing the risk of collateral damage.

So, when our adversaries began utilizing jammers to disrupt this capability, Northrop Grumman pioneered a new designs and technology that ensures continued operations in a GPS-degraded environment.

For nearly a decade, the U.S. Army has successfully used the Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) to upgrade conventional 155mm artillery to a level of accuracy that approaches near precision.

“It revolutionized artillery fire because historically, ballistic artillery rounds were only accurate to 300 meters,” said Bernie Gruber, director of Guided Projectiles. “PGK uses GPS technology to guide 155-millimeter shells to a target and is combat proven to show high levels of accuracy and reliability.”

But battlefield requirements are ever-changing, so Northrop Grumman continued to collaborate with the U.S. Army and invest in ways to enhance the technology to meet the future needs of the warfighter and the ever-increasing threat.

Precision Guidance Kit – Extended Range

Now, the Precision Guidance Kit – Extended Range (PGK-ER) provides the accuracy and reliability of the original capability updated for the battlefield of the future.
“Maintaining the form factor of our current PGK, we’ve updated and added technologies to perform in a GPS-degraded environment,” added Gruber.

PGK-ER is designed for the current inventory of artillery rounds and cannons to ensure value and affordability, but it can be adapted to other artillery rounds to extend mission and increase customer’s purchasing power. For example, it will be compatible with the higher muzzle velocity of the new 58 caliber cannon the U.S. Army is developing as well as the legacy 39 caliber cannon.

“We continue to look to the future and increasing capabilities for long range precision fires. By using PGK and now PGK-ER, you can make every round count,” said Gruber.