IAI has Developed a Course Correction Fuze for Standard Artillery

15 October, 2017

TopGun is an add-on fuze mounted on 155mm shells used by the IDF. It allows guiding the shell to its target, using a pre-defined coordinate

IAI TopGun Fuze

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has won Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) tender for development, production and supply of TopGun, a course correction fuze for artillery shells. The tender is meant to provide the IDF with a global, first-of-its-kind development of this Fuze.

TopGun is an add-on fuze mounted on 155mm shells used by the IDF. It allows guiding the shell to its target, using a pre-defined coordinate, after it has been fired. The aerodynamic guidance is performed with small wings controlled by miniaturized avionics embedded into the Fuze. TopGun is capable of calculating its location in space and plan the optimal course required for the shell to engage with the predefined target.

Electronic Systems Under Stress

IAI’s TopGun essentially converts standard artillery ammunition into a precision guided weapon. Jacob Galifat, General Manager of the IAI/MALAM Division, said: “Following years of technological development effort, we witness a unique technology that has matured so it can be further customized for the requirements of IDF. This project has faced us with new technological challenges, including protecting the survivability of electronic and mechanical components in a difficult firing environment and miniaturization of the entire avionics into the size of a Fuze. We estimate the global demand for the product will be extensive and will translate into business success worldwide.”

TopGun fuze performs 2D correction of the ballistic trajectory to reduce its dispersion in both range and deflection for improved accuracy. IAI said it achieved accuracy level of about 10 m CEP at any range. It means that the circle of equal probability – the radius of a circle whose boundary is expected to include the landing points of 50% of the rounds – is less than 10 meters.

 

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