2003 Iraq War

M982 Excalibur guided artillery projectile in the 2003 Iraq War

U.S. Army reporting documents the XM982 Excalibur's first operational firing in Iraq on May 5, 2007, when 1st Cavalry Division soldiers fired the guided 155 mm projectile from an M109A6 Paladin at Camp Taji.

Weapon profileM982 Excalibur guided artillery projectile
SideUnited States and coalition forcesRoleFire SupportInterdiction
M982 Excalibur guided artillery projectile, 155 mm GPS/INS-guided artillery projectile, Munitions - 2003 Iraq War
Image source: 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
U.S. Army soldiers fired an XM982 Excalibur during the 2003 Iraq War on May 5, 2007.

Sources: 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing, DVIDS Excalibur first firing image

The firing unit was tied to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, with 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment artillery participation.

Sources: 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing

The firing platform was an M109A6 Paladin at Camp Taji, Iraq.

Sources: DVIDS Excalibur first firing image, 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing

The target context was an insurgent safe house in the northern Baghdad region.

Sources: 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing, DVIDS Excalibur first firing image

Timeline

M982 Excalibur guided artillery projectile In 2003 Iraq War

  1. First operational Excalibur firing in Iraq

    Soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division fired an XM982 Excalibur from an M109A6 Paladin at Camp Taji during combat operations north of Baghdad.

    Sources: 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing, DVIDS Excalibur first firing image

  2. DVIDS publishes the first-firing report

    DVIDS published 1st Cavalry Division reporting from Taji that described the May 5 shot as the first operational firing of the XM982 Excalibur precision munition in combat.

    Sources: 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

DVIDS and 1st Cavalry Division reporting directly document the XM982 Excalibur in the 2003 Iraq War. The report says Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division conducted the first operational firing of the XM982 Excalibur, a 155 mm precision-guided extended-range artillery projectile, on May 5, 2007.

The linked DVIDS image page identifies the munition as an XM982 Excalibur precision-guided artillery round fired from an M109A6 Paladin howitzer at Camp Taji, Iraq. Both the article and the image caption place the shot in combat operations in the northern region of Baghdad and tie it to soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

Sources: 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing, DVIDS Excalibur first firing image

Timeline

The documented Iraq War milestone is a single dated operational debut rather than a broad public series of firings. DVIDS reported that the Excalibur round was fired on May 5, 2007, and posted the story on May 23, 2007 from Taji, Iraq.

The report describes a combined field-artillery and maneuver-unit event: elements of 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment worked together for the shot, with forward observers and Paladin artillery crews supporting the firing.

Sources: 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing

Role in Iraq

In Iraq, the Excalibur's documented role was precision 155 mm artillery fire support by U.S. forces during the occupation and counterinsurgency phase of the war. The 2007 Taji firing targeted an insurgent safe house north of Baghdad and was described by the local commander as part of a broader effort to deny safe houses and limit insurgent mobility.

The sources identify U.S. Army soldiers as the documented users and the M109A6 Paladin as the firing platform. They do not document Iraqi government, coalition partner, or insurgent operation of the Excalibur projectile in this incident.

DVIDS framed the event as the first operational firing of the XM982 Excalibur projectile, making the Iraq War record important as an operational debut rather than a source for large quantities or repeated public incidents.

Sources: 1st Cavalry Division first operational Excalibur firing, DVIDS Excalibur first firing image

Images

Conflict Context

XM982 Excalibur round impact during combat operations near Baghdad in 2007
DVIDS identified this image as an XM982 Excalibur precision-guided artillery round falling onto an insurgent safe house during combat operations north of Baghdad on May 5, 2007.

Sources: DVIDS Excalibur first firing image

Related Weapons by Role

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Sources