Netherlands orders Raytheon Excalibur Ib precision munitions, becomes second European customer

The Netherlands Ministry of Defense is adding Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Excalibur Ib artillery rounds to its arsenal under a previously announced foreign military sales agreement, underscoring growing international interest in the precision-guided projectile.

The Netherlands is the second Excalibur lb customer in Europe after Sweden, the U.S. government's development partner for the 155 mm round. Deliveries are expected to begin later this year.

"When fired from the Dutch PzH 2000 artillery system, Excalibur can fly up to 50 kilometers, score a direct hit and deliver lethal effects in all types of weather and battlefield conditions," said Mark Hokeness, Raytheon's Excalibur program director. "The Netherlands joins a growing list of nations acquiring this highly sophisticated artillery munition, which uses GPS guidance to provide accurate, first-round effects capability at extended ranges."

The U.S. Army has determined Excalibur Ib is fully compatible with the PzH 2000, a self-propelled howitzer produced in Germany and fielded by several nations.