NJ Guard’s 3-112th FA hits a “grand slam” with Excalibur Projectile

Photo By Staff Sgt. Bruce Daddis | New Jersey Army National Soldiers assigned to Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion, 112th Field Artillery Regiment, 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, conduct a field artillery live-fire exercise at the Joint-Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana, May 27, 2023. The exercise marked the first time the N.J. Army National Guard has ever successfully fired the GPS-guided Excalibur precision projectile. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Bruce Daddis)  

FORT POLK, LA, UNITED STATES

05.27.2023

Story by Staff Sgt. Bruce Daddis 

New Jersey National Guard   

The New Jersey Army National Guard’s 3rd Battalion, 112th Field Artillery Regiment made history at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Fort Polk, Louisiana by becoming the first N.J. Guard unit to successfully fire the GPS-guided M982A1 Excalibur precision projectile on May 27.
The Precision Guided Munition (PGM) and Precision Guidance Kit (PGK fuze) live-fire utilized a towed 155 mm M777A2 Howitzer from Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion, 112th Field Artillery Regiment. The M982A1 Excalibur round can double the range of a conventional high-explosive round fired by a 155mm Howitzer. The Excalibur is a GPS-guided round which can impact within approximately four meters of a target.
“This newly acquired ability to fire PGM munitions has made us a more lethal and precise option for our Brigade Commander and a force multiplier for the brigade when we deploy at the beginning of next year,” said Lt. Col. David Eckenrode, Battalion Commander for the 3rd 112th FA.
Eckenrode went on to state that his battalion fielded the M777A2s back in 2015, and the opportunity to fire Excalibur had not presented itself until they were scheduled for a rotation at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC). During the initial planning conference for JRTC, it was clear that one of their main training goals was to conduct a PGM live-fire with Excalibur and PGK.
“I knew right then and there that this was our moment to add to our battalion's long and storied history,” stated Eckenrode. “Command Sgt. Maj. Rosario and I are proud of all of our Soldiers involved in planning and executing this. It was a combined effort across the different Fires Military Occupational Specialties in order to achieve this milestone for 3-112th. This effort is a reflection of the Army as a whole and how it works. No one Army element can accomplish the mission alone. It takes a team in order to accomplish any mission. This was a grand slam and a big win for us.”

• Date Taken: 05.27.2023
• Date Posted: 05.31.2023 20:24
• Story ID: 445918
• Location: FORT POLK, LA, US