XM2001 Crusader

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XM2001 Crusader
XM2001 Crusader firing a shell
General characteristics
Crew	3 (Commander, Driver, Gunner)
Length	7.53 m
Width	3.31 m
Height	3.00 m
Weight	40 tons
Armour and armament
Armour
Main armament	XM297E2 Howitzer
Secondary armament
Mobility
Power plant	LV100-5 turbine engine 1500 hp (1119 kW)
Suspension
Road speed	39-48 km/h
Power/weight
Range

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 and planned to be introduced 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.

1 Background
- 1.1 Program Timeline
2 General Characteristics
3 External links

[edit] Background

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

Using the same chassis, the resupply vehicles (RSVs) would deliver automatic, reciprocal transfer of ammunition, data and fuel to the SPH or another RSV.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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, AS90
Foreign Military Sales: None planned

[edit] 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