US approves possible sale of Excalibur projectiles to Denmark

The US has approved the possible FMS of 339 M982A1 Excalibur tactical projectiles to Denmark. (Janes/Patrick Allen)

The US Department of State has approved the possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of Excalibur projectiles and associated support worth up to USD121 million to Denmark, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in a press release on 20 August.

The Danish government has requested to buy 339 M982A1 Excalibur tactical projectiles, Portable Electronic Fire Control Systems, Improved Platform Integration Kits, Simple Key Loaders, extractors, Surface Danger Zones, training, spare parts, US government technical assistance, technical data, repair and return services, and other related elements of logistics and programme support.

The DSCA said, “The proposed sale will improve Denmark's capability to meet current and future threats by providing precision capability equipment and increasing first strike accuracy in its brigades.”

The principal contractor will be RTX Corporation.

Co-developed by the US Army Research Laboratory and the US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center and manufactured by RTX business Raytheon and BAE Systems Bofors, Excalibur is designed to provide accurate first-round effects at all ranges and in all weather conditions. For 155 mm/52 calibre artillery such as the Autonomous Truck Mounted Howitzer System (ATMOS) that Denmark is procuring, Excalibur extends the range to 50 km, according to Raytheon.

A Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) spokesperson told Janes on 19 June that his organisation had received the first two ATMOS self-propelled howitzers (SPHs). This is in addition to the ATMOS demonstrator that DALO received in 2023. He said Elbit was gradually delivering all 19 ATMOS SPHs to DALO, a process he expected to be completed by the end of 2024.