What Is Vulcano? Leonardo’s Extended-Range Guided Munitions Family
Vulcano is Leonardo’s family of extended-range, precision-guided munitions fired from both 76/127 mm naval guns and 155 mm land howitzers. Bringing guided-weapon precision to traditional artillery fire, Vulcano lets a gun hit far more distant and smaller targets with a single round.
Product Identity
| Manufacturer | Leonardo (with Diehl for the land round) |
| Type | Extended-range / guided munitions |
| Origin | Italy |
| Calibres | 76 mm, 127 mm (naval), 155 mm (land) |
| Guidance | GPS/INS; IR/laser terminal on some versions |
| Production | Active |
What Vulcano Is
Vulcano comes in two main categories: the BER (Ballistic Extended Range) version that extends range but is unguided, and the GLR (Guided Long Range) version that both extends range and is precision-guided. Its drag-reducing aerodynamic design reaches far beyond a standard shell; GPS/INS guidance and, on some versions, an infrared/laser terminal seeker let it strike a target with metre-level precision. This turns artillery into a low-cost precision-strike tool — an alternative to expensive missiles.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Versions | BER (range), GLR (guided) |
| Naval calibres | 76 mm, 127 mm |
| Land calibre | 155 mm |
| Guidance | GPS/INS + optional IR/laser terminal |
| Range (155 mm GLR) | ~70-80 km class (per open sources) |
Mission Profiles
Vulcano is used for long-range precision artillery fire, accurate engagement of naval targets and coastal points, strikes against moving targets (with the terminal-seeker version) and low-collateral precision support. Offering the same munition family for both land howitzers and naval guns brings significant logistics and training commonality.
Leonardo’s Role
Vulcano is a programme where Leonardo is prime for the naval versions and partners with Germany’s Diehl for the 155 mm land version. This makes Leonardo one of the few companies producing both the gun system (OTO Melara) and the smart munition that gun fires — bringing the “gun plus ammunition” chain under one roof.
Competing Systems
| System | Maker | Country | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| M982 Excalibur | RTX/BAE | USA/Sweden | Widespread 155 mm guided shell |
| Katana | Nexter | France | French 155 mm guided shell |
| Indigenous guided artillery rounds | Roketsan/MKE | Turkey | Turkish indigenous equivalents |
Turkey Relationship
Turkey is developing indigenous solutions in guided artillery munitions. Extended-range and precision-guided 155 mm work by Roketsan and MKE, and various smart-munition programmes, aim to meet domestically the missions Vulcano covers. Vulcano is therefore seen in Turkey less as a direct procurement option and more as an equivalent that may compete with Turkish guided munitions in export markets.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths: a common munition family for land and sea, the gun-plus-ammunition chain under one roof, precision guidance and extended range, and low collateral damage. Weaknesses: widespread rivals like Excalibur, the high unit cost of a guided shell versus standard ammunition, and rising indigenous alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What calibres does Vulcano come in?
76 mm and 127 mm for naval use and 155 mm for land use.
Is Vulcano a guided munition?
It has both a range-extending unguided version (BER) and a range-extending, precision-guided version (GLR).
What makes Vulcano special?
The same munition family can be fired from both naval guns and land howitzers, bringing guided-weapon precision to artillery.
Sources
Leonardo official product pages; Army Recognition, Naval News, Janes (2024-2026).
