The US Marine Corps plans to field hand held Target Location, Designation and Hand-off Systems (TLDHS) to equip artillery forward observers with entry device designed to “speak” with new Excalibur Unitary GPS Precision Guided Munitions expected to be fielded with teh corps’ M-777A2 155-mm howitzers by the third quarter of fiscal year 2007.
The system will enable forward observers to perform target acquisition, then hand targets off to fire support units using formatted messages transmitted through existing and tactical data systems and planned communications equipment. Stauder Technologies will deliver 448 units under a $15 million contract awarded by the US Navy this. Delivery is expected to complete by April 2008.
