English: The M982 Excalibur global positioning system/inertial navigation system (GPS/INS) artillery round was fired for the first time in Afghanistan at Camp Blessing in February. The 155-millimeter round is used with the enhanced portable inductive artillery fuse setter, which creates its GPS/INS capability. The fuse setter gives the round specific grid coordinates for its target. This “smart munition” provides capability to attack three target sets: soft vehicles, armored vehicles, and reinforced bunkers. The increased effectiveness of the Excalibur round lightens the logistics burden on deployed units. It also reduces collateral damage through a concentrated fragmentation pattern, increased accuracy, and a near-vertical decent. Here, Soldiers from C Battery, 3d Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment, use the enhanced portable inductive artillery fuse setter to program target grid coordinates into an Excalibur round. (Photo by Sgt. Henry Selzer)
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