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C-PSAD-81-4 1 (1980-11-13)

handle is hein.gao/gaobabcap0001 and id is 1 raw text is: UNCLASSIFIED REPORT BY THE FUTURE PROCUREMENTS OF ARMY'S COMPTROLLER GENERAL COPPERHEAD PROJECTILE SHOULD OF THE UNITED STATES BE CONTINGENT ON IMPROVEMENTS IN PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY DIGEST Copperhead, a laser-guided, antiarmor projec- tile launched from 155-mm. howitzers, entered limited production this year. It is a $1 bil- lion program. The Army plans to procure over 44,000 rounds by 1986 at an estimated average cost of over $22,000 per round. (See p. 1.) Army officials continue to maintain that Copperhead will provide the artillery with an unprecedented antiarmor capability. However, like all weapons which depend on laser guid- ance, Copperhead's effectiveness hinges on a laser designator operator's ability to keep the target in sicht and focus the laser beam on the target. The projectile's seeker can then home on the reflected energy. VISIBILITY IS A FACTOR In a European combat environment, good visi- bility conditions would more often than not be unattainable. Adverse weather, obstructed terrain features, and certain other obstruc- tions can be expected to restrict opportuni- ties for launching Copperhead. In live fir- ings conducted during operational testing under a variety of conditions, Copperhead hit the target in 29 of 71 attempts. For those firings conducted in obstructive condi- tions, the results showed that the probability of destroying a target with a single Copperhead round was considerably lower. (See pp. 8 to 12.) RESPONSE TIME MAY BE CRUCIAL Tests up to this point provide little insight into the effectiveness to be anticipated from Copperhead against moving targets. The Army estimates that two-thirds of the targets on the battlefield will be moving. To success- fully attack them would require a fast response IeALShee. Upon removal. the report cover date should be noted hereon. C-PSAD-81-4 UNCLASSIFIED

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