Overview
- Mid‑June sources report General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems won a developmental contract to validate a maneuvering 155‑mm round for the Army’s Extended Range Artillery Projectile (ERAP) program.
- GA‑EMS says its design uses deployable wings and redundant guidance to glide beyond conventional range without rocket assist and that company tests at Yuma hit targets at distances the firm described as more than 74 miles.
- General Dynamics OTS and BAE Systems also hold developmental awards for ERAP with GD‑OTS pitching a Vulcano‑based guided 155 round that pairs GPS guidance with a semi‑active laser or far‑IR seeker for maritime targets.
- The Army requires ERAP rounds to work with legacy and future howitzers and to retain a non‑GPS mode for contested navigation environments, driving vendors to pursue different seeker and guidance approaches.
- The program follows the cancelled ERCA effort and now moves toward a planned acquisition path of developmental testing, low‑rate initial production in Q2 FY29, and initial operational capability by FY2030, a shift that will affect domestic production lines and supplier transition plans.