M712 Copperhead
| M712 Copperhead | |
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White Sands Missile Range M712 Copperhead
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| Type | Guided artillery shell |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | U.S. Army, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Taiwan |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 62.4 kg (137.6 lb) |
| Length | 140 cm (54 in) |
| Diameter | 155 mm |
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| Caliber | 155 mm |
| Effective firing range | 16 km (9.9 mi) |
| Warhead | Composition B |
| Warhead weight | 6.69 kilograms (14.75 lb) |
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Guidance
system |
laser guidance |
The M712 Copperhead is a 155 mm caliber cannon-launched, fin-stabilized, terminally laser guided, explosive shell intended to engage hard point targets such as tanks, self-propelled howitzers or other high-value targets. It may be fired from different artillery pieces, such as the M114, M109, M198, M777 and CAESAR howitzers. The projectile has a minimum range of 3 km and a maximum range of 16 km.
At 62.4 kilograms (137.6 lb) and 140 centimetres (54 in) long, Copperhead is longer and heavier than traditional 155mm ammunition.
The warhead assembly consist of a shaped charge loaded with 6.69 kilograms (14.75 lb) of Composition B.
For Copperhead to function, the target must be illuminated with a laser designator. Once the laser signal is detected, the on-board guidance system will operate the steering vanes to maneuver the projectile to the target. The Copperhead targeting logic is designed to (1) ensure that the optical system will always be able to detect the target, and (2) that once the target has been detected there will be sufficient time and velocity to maneuver to hit the target. Copperhead must be below any cloud cover at critical parts of the trajectory, and there must be sufficient visibility to ensure that when the target is acquired the projectile will have sufficient time to maneuver.
Copperhead has two modes of operation: Ballistic mode and glide mode. Ballistic mode is used where the cloud ceiling is high and visibility is good. When the projectile is 3,000 meters from the target, the guidance vanes extend, the target is acquired, and then the on-board guidance system adjusts the guidance vanes to maneuver onto the target.
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Wikipedia