弓弩　　　http://www.168gongnu.cn
弩　　　http://www.168gongnu.cn
新奇特批发 http://www.jsxqt88.com
新奇特产品 http://www.xqt007.cn
成人玩具 http://www.jsxqt88.com/tupianl.htm
剪板机　 http://www.jxwjs.cn
弩 http://www.jsxqt88.com/indexi.htm
弓弩 http://www.jsxqt88.com/indexi.htm
乳化机 http://www.ntdyjx.cn
过滤器 http://www.dryent.com
卷板机 http://www.nthljc.cn
弓弩　 http://www.gongnuw.cn
弩　 http://www.gongnuw.cn
弓弩　　http://www.gongnuw.com
弩　　http://www.gongnuw.com
通风机 http://www.qdwdl.com.cn
三面翻　 http://www.gr-door.com
混合机 http://www.85399888.cn
搅拌机 http://www.85399888.cn/jiaobanji-01.html
呼吸阀 http://www.ntdyjx.cn/product_29.html
阻火器 http://www.ntdyjx.cn/product_26.html弓弩　　　http://www.168gongnu.cn
弩　　　http://www.168gongnu.cn
新奇特批发 http://www.jsxqt88.com
新奇特产品 http://www.xqt007.cn
成人玩具 http://www.jsxqt88.com/tupianl.htm
剪板机　 http://www.jxwjs.cn
弩 http://www.jsxqt88.com/indexi.htm
弓弩 http://www.jsxqt88.com/indexi.htm
乳化机 http://www.ntdyjx.cn
过滤器 http://www.dryent.com
卷板机 http://www.nthljc.cn
弓弩　 http://www.gongnuw.cn
弩　 http://www.gongnuw.cn
弓弩　　http://www.gongnuw.com
弩　　http://www.gongnuw.com
通风机 http://www.qdwdl.com.cn
三面翻　 http://www.gr-door.com
混合机 http://www.85399888.cn
搅拌机 http://www.85399888.cn/jiaobanji-01.html
呼吸阀 http://www.ntdyjx.cn/product_29.html
阻火器 http://www.ntdyjx.cn/product_26.html

Posted by: 弩 at November 11, 2008 10:53 PM

It was my pleasure to visit your blog. It is really a mirecle to visit your blog in this wide world. And I also have the feeling that it was really a pity that we didn't meet each other earlier. Because the kindness and warmth in your blog can make me completely relaxed and happy. I hope that you will visit my blog too to see if you can have the same feeling.

afake rolex watch replica shoes

http://www.lowestmall.com
http://www.easyforbuy.com
http://www.ecforshop.com
http://www.gomykick.com
http://www.onestoptown.com
http://www.rolex8u.com
http://www.watchinstyle.com
http://www.yourshop.cc
http://www.instylewatch.com
http://www.sellbestshoes.com
http://www.buynikeshoes.com
http://www.PICKHANDBAG.COM
http://www.PICKMYWATCH.COM
http://www.PICKTHEBAG.COM
http://www.ROLEXWATCHFORU.COM
http://www.REPLICAWATCHFORU.COM
http://www.wearmyrolexnow.com

Posted by: replicashoes at October 23, 2008 09:15 PM

[url=http://www.buy-cheap-aoc-gold.com/][color=#800080]Age Of Conan Gold[/color][/url] [url=http://www.buyfastgold.com/][color=#800080]Aoc Gold[/color][/url] [url=http://www.buy-cheap-aoc-gold.com/][color=#800080]Buy Aoc Gold [/color][/url] [url=http://www.aocsale.com/][color=#800080]cheap Aoc Gold [/color][/url] [url=http://www.aocsale.com/][color=#800080]buy age of conan gold[/color][/url] [url=http://www.buyfastgold.com/buy-age-of-Conan-gold/][color=#800080]Age Of Conan [/color][/url]
[url=http://buy-aoc-gold.hellgate-pd.com/][color=#800080]aoc gold [/color][/url] [url=http://buy-aoc-gold.hellgate-pd.com/][color=#800080]buy aoc gold[/color][/url] [url=http://buy-aoc-gold.hellgate-pd.com/][color=#800080]cheap aoc gold[/color][/url] [url=http://buy-aoc-gold.rgtrcredit.com/][color=#800080]Age Of Conan Gold [/color][/url] [url=http://buy-aoc-gold.rgtrcredit.com/][color=#800080]cheap Age Of Conan Gold[/color][/url] [url=http://buy-aoc-gold.rgtrcredit.com/][color=#800080]buy Age Of Conan Gold [/color][/url]

Age Of Conan Gold Aoc Gold Buy Aoc Gold cheap Aoc Gold buy age of conan gold Age Of Conan

your site is good ,welcome to our sites
http://www.buyfastgold.com

http://www.buy-cheap-aoc-gold.com

http://www.aocsale.com

http://buy-aoc-gold.hellgate-pd.com

http://buy-aoc-gold.rgtrcredit.com

Posted by: aoc gold at May 15, 2008 03:20 AM

Interesting Article but....

You are wrong about this being the first firing of Excalbur in Afghanistan. The Canadian Artillery fired one in July 07.

Posted by: Canadian Gunner at March 13, 2008 07:59 AM

Reminds me of when they started to put GPS onto the MK82s back when. Then came the bright spark of attaching a laser designator/seeker package with control fins to "fly" the bomb onto or off target.

Next version of Excalibur round with deployable fins, laser/real time GPS signal package?

I remember something on here about such a round if I recall?

Posted by: Thomas at March 11, 2008 01:19 PM

One significance of this will become more understandable after you read this recent news story:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/magazine/24afghanistan-t.html

While I despise that paper, the article is darn good and gives you flyboys (and me) an idea of what real warriors are dealing with in a particularly nasty and isolated corner of northeast Afghanistan. The artillery mentioned is specifically supporting the Korengal Valley where the NY Times story takes place, if you read the full Excalibur article.

The USAF was a major help many times in the story, but at times was rightfully or wrongly reluctant to engage due to risk of collateral damage. This area is too far from Bagram for rapid Apache support. This is also the area where the Navy Seal team was surrounded and a MH-47 was shot down bringing reinforcement SEALS a few years back.

Having precision munitions may provide the requisite firepower to support that firebase without killing the "innocents" in the town below. In the past this mission was probably attempted with 105mm that lacked the range and firepower of the M777....so this story is also about the success of this piece of light towed artillery.

BTW, a F-22 carrying a JDAM uses 18,000 lbs of fuel per flight if I'm not mistaken. That's almost 2700 gallons at $3 a gallon plus the cost to get the fuel into country, plus the maintenance cost of the aircraft per flight hour....which is big bucks.

Posted by: Cole at March 11, 2008 12:33 PM

@ Brian

"The Germans lost for a lot of reasons, not just because their equipment was expensive."

>> Very true.

"WWII is a thing of the past."

>> Whooo. Very iffy prediction. This planet has four-and-a-half million years of life left in it. Chances are we'll se another Big War in that time.

Posted by: Pharsalus at March 11, 2008 09:47 AM

$39,000 may sound like a lot of money, but if that's what it costs to kill a group of bad guys in close proximity to our troops without any collateral damage then I'd say it's worth it. The cost benefit analysis probably favors the guided shell very easily in many situations when you look at the costs, monetary and otherwise, associated with other means of eliminating the enemy. Even if you ignore the value of the lives of our soldiers, you need to factor in the costs of replacing/treating a soldier injured by either friendly fire from inaccurate artillery, or by enemies who may survive a conventional artillery strike.

Now I don't think we should go and replace all our conventional artillery munitions with guided versions. There are definitely uses for unguided shells and area bombardment. But having the option to put a guided shell right on target if needed seems like something nice to have in our bag of tricks.

Posted by: ADyer at March 11, 2008 09:40 AM

FFB:

Yes, if you somehow have ESP and know that a round is coming your way, you can probably run away from it. So if you're on a hill somewhere, and you get a flash of insight that a round has been fired at you, you might be able to pull an action movie style dive like Arnold Schwarzenegger at the end of Predator.

Of course, if you're not a movie star, more likely you'll sit there doing whatever it was you were doing before, and then be promptly annihilated with no warning.

Deus Ex and Pharsalus:

Any artillery round that misses is a waste. Not only do you have to factor in the cost of all the rounds that miss (does it take 3 or 4 regular artillery rounds to match one of this?), you also have to factor in the cost of having troops in a dangerous environment for a longer period of time. With one of these, will an engagement that previously took 10 minutes be over after a single shot? Will these save the lives of friendly soldiers?

The Germans lost for a lot of reasons, not just because their equipment was expensive. And if I had my way, we wouldn't get into a large drawn-out, 4 year war against another first world nation. We'd beat them into the dirt with superior tech in two or three months and be done with it. WWII is a thing of the past.

Posted by: Brian at March 11, 2008 09:28 AM

Addendum: ...They will NEVER win against a flood of cheap, throw-away weaponry *and the (somewhat Stalinesque) will to send most of your troops to their deaths*.

Posted by: Pharsalus at March 11, 2008 09:02 AM

@ Chris

Concerning the Desmosedici: you've got yourself a deal, mister.

Ahem, laser guidance? That'd be handy for indirect fire ^_^
Maybe, oh wait, we could fix a laser on a small UAV and keep it on station to guide the round? No, that wouldn't work. Maybe a soldier hiding in the bushes with a great big laser designator? We could, if all else fails, equip lemmings with a little transmitter and train them to invade soon-to-be-levelled buildings. The shells could then home in on the poor critter and go *poof*.

Large, extended wars are won with cheap, low-tech weapons. German soldiers used to make jokes about "those funny American tanks with their little guns" but, being equipped with the Mighty Panther Tank, they still lost.

Small "wars" (or rather policing actions) are won with feet on the ground, hearts and minds campaigns and restrictions on using force.

Both ways, large or small, cost lives. Many lives, some might say too many. But THAT's the cost of war, not what you pay for a gun.

Advanced weapons require a lot of maintenance, cost a lot of money and aren't always battlefield-proof, just ask "Grossdeutschland"'s PzAbt 51 about their PzKpfw V Panthers at Kursk. They will NEVER win against a flood of cheap, throw-away weaponry.

Posted by: Pharsalus at March 11, 2008 08:56 AM

@ Pharsalus: I'll trade you two rounds for a Desmosedici, three if you take it away from Tom Cruise.

Regarding Cost: As with any technology prices will drop as more efficient methods are found to produce these shells. A year from now I may have to come up with four shells to trade Pharsalus.

Regarding Accuracy: This is the first generation of precision (GPS) artillery. There's nothing to say the Army's not working on a laser guided round or that the round can't make position adjustments anytime in flight.

Why does it seems people on this blog are so resistant to new military tech?

Posted by: Chris at March 11, 2008 08:38 AM

Deus Ex,

with an aircraft bomb you have to factor in fuel costs etc. The plane can drop the bomb, but it still has to get there. Dragging around an artillery piece is a lot cheaper. Still, phew, I could buy *two* new motorbikes for a single shell. DAMN!

I'd like a Triumph Street Triple and a Honda CBR1100XX, please.

Posted by: Pharsalus at March 11, 2008 07:25 AM

"For Raytheon — Southern Arizona' biggest employer with more than 11,000 workers in Tucson — successful combat use would be a milestone in a $1.4 billion program for up to 30,000 shells costing about $39,000 apiece."

=> http://www.azstarnet.com/business/179060

"As of 2007, unit costs were expected to be $39,000 per round in full-scale production"

=> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XM982_Excalibur

Right! Waaaaaaay too expensive.

Posted by: Pharsalus at March 11, 2008 07:19 AM

Freefallingbomb, you bring up points that, if true, astound and anger me (just like the @%@#%@ F22 program).

Can you link your sources? If the internet taught me anything, it's never take anything said at face value. Always look a bit deeper.

And 39,000 for a SINGLE ROUND OF 155 is outright stupidity. Sounds like you could get a guided GPS bomb for the same price.

Posted by: Deus Ex at March 11, 2008 06:59 AM

Are you saying it's not true Jimbo Jones?

Posted by: foobar at March 11, 2008 05:41 AM

2 outa 10 for that trolling effort freefallingbomb, must ty harder.

Posted by: Jimbo Jones at March 11, 2008 04:51 AM

Precision-guided ammunitions aren't terminally guided ammunitions. The latter ones are better, they're the future, because they're the only ones that allow you to hit mobile targets, even very fast moving targets. Precision-guided Artillery ammunition ( NOT : Mortar ammunition!) can easily be avoided if you walk always on the lee side of a steep mountain or hill, scatter, never stop walking (it takes ~ 40 seconds for an Artillery round to fly to its maximum range, and before that you're already outside its warhead's destruction radius again...) and zig-zag every 30 seconds (once programmed and flying, "Excalibur" rounds can't choose different impact points, unlike for example air-to-air-missiles with mid-flight guidance), this way you can approach that U.S. howitzer even inside its direct fire range!

As I expected, nobody tells you any of that in any U.S. American articles about this 39.000-dollars-a-piece "Excalibur" round, good only for shooting at houses. It's just another "F-22 Raptor" to me...

Posted by: freefallingbomb at March 11, 2008 12:51 AM

ohwilleke, did it ever occur to you that there are other people in the world who quite simply do not share your opinion?

Posted by: mkspence at March 10, 2008 10:01 PM

Why is it news that a weapon that works in U.S. based tests also works in tests in Afghanistan? Are the laws of physics different there? Is Afghan air GPS proof?

I agree that a first use in anger in Afghanistan would be newsworthy, but this story is not.

Posted by: ohwilleke at March 10, 2008 05:40 PM

You're right Allen...but what I'm more worried about is what will happen when bad guys get NVGs and body armor. Owning the night and having some ballistic protection have been a big advantage to US forces in recent conflicts. What happens when the enemy can see our IR reflectors and can endure a couple hits from a 5.56? Ain't gonna be pretty, that's for sure.

Posted by: Christian at March 10, 2008 05:04 PM

So long as they're using GPS guidance the US can remain a step ahead, since the DoD owns the coarse and fine signals. In that scenario I can see the fine signal being available only to those with the right keyfill, as was the case back in the day.

Posted by: TrustButVerify at March 10, 2008 04:52 PM

This is cool stuff and it's good that the US military is getting it.

But we really need to think about when, five or ten years down the road, precision munitions (I like to worry about mortar rounds) become wide- spread. The technology is impressive but not magic, and I'd bet several countries and companies around the world are working on their own versions of it as we speak.

What are we going to do when the bad guys can put the first and subsequent rounds within ten meters of their target?

Posted by: Allen Thomson at March 10, 2008 04:47 PM