XM2001 Crusader
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The XM2001 Crusader was to be the United States Army's next-generation self-propelled howitzer (SPH), designed to improve survivability, lethality, mobility, and effectiveness by 2008. United Defense was the prime contractor; General Dynamics the major subcontractor. In early May 2002, United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld cancelled the $11 billion USD program because he considered it neither mobile nor precise enough.
The Crusader was intended to replace the M109A6 Paladin Self-Propelled Howitzer and the M992A2 Field Artillery Ammunition Supply Vehicle (FAASV). It was intended to be an automated gun (as opposed to missile) artillery system to support the Initial Brigade Combat Teams (IBCT) Counterattack Corps and a basis for other vehicle developments.
Key features of the Crusader design included:
- Two Crusaders would fit in a C-17 Globemaster.
- A cooled XM297E2 howitzer for sustained high rates of fire
- Automated ammunition handling and loading
- State-of-the-art cockpit with embedded command and control
- Composite armor
- Survivability features to protect the vehicle and crew
- LV100-5 gas turbine engine (common with the Abrams tank) to keep up with other fighting vehicles
General Characteristics
| SPH | RSV-T | RSV-W | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curb Weight | 40 tons | 36 tons | 33.3 tons |
| Length | 7.53 m | 7.53 m | 11.03 m |
| Width | 3.31 m | 3.31 m | 2.44 m |
| Height | 3.00 m | 3.00 m | 3.59 m |
| Cross-Country Mobility | 39-48 km/h | 39-48 km/h | 64 km/h |
| Armament | Cooled 155 mm | none | none |
| Max Range | 40-50 km (assisted) | ||
| Rate of Fire/Resupply | 10-12 rounds/min | 48 rounds in 10 min | 48 rounds in 10 min |
| Crew | 3 | 3 | 3 |
- Prime Contractors: United Defense, L.P. (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- Foreign Counterpart: PzH 2000
- Foreign Military Sales: None planned
- Program Timeline
- * 1QFY95 Approved to commence program definition and risk reduction (PDRR) phase.
- * 2QFY98 In-process review completed and manufacture of the PDRR prototype systems begun.
- * 3QFY99 Delivery of first RSV prototype.
- * 2QFY00 Delivery of first prototype howitzer SPH 1.
- * 1QFY02 Successful preliminary design review.
- * 1QFY02 More than 4000 rounds fired from SPH 1.
- * 2QFY02 Program cancelled.
External links
- [NPR: Crusader Artillery System] - All Things Considered, May 8, 2002 - Although the Pentagon has finally announced the death of the Crusader artillery system, NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr says that the underlying controversy points to a serious failing in the ideal of "unified" civilian control of the military. (RealAudio)
| General Dynamics Corporation |
| Corporate Directors: Nicholas Chabraja | James Crown | Lester Crown | William Fricks | Charles Goodman | Jay Johnson | George Joulwan | Paul Kaminski | John Keane | Lester Lyles | Carl Mundy | Robert Walmsley |
|
Subsidiaries: Bath Iron Works | Electric Boat | General Dynamics Land Systems | Gulfstream Aerospace Products: Arleigh Burke class destroyer | Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle | Los Angeles class submarine | M1 Abrams | Ohio class submarine | Seawolf class submarine | Stryker |
| Annual Revenue: .4 billion USD ( 23% FY 2004) | Employees: 70,200 | Stock Symbol: NYSE: [GD] | Website: [www.gendyn.com] |
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