Munitions

Vulcano-GLR

Also known as
  • Vulcano GLR
  • Vulcano Guided Long Range
  • Vulcano 155 GLR
  • Vulcano 127 GLR
  • OTO Vulcano 155
  • VULCANO

Vulcano-GLR is the guided long-range branch of the Leonardo and Diehl Defence Vulcano ammunition family, covering 155 mm land-artillery rounds and 127 mm naval-gun rounds with inertial, satellite, and optional terminal seeker guidance. Ukraine-linked sourcing supports the 155 mm projectile in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War through German-announced and later tracked deliveries.

Vulcano-GLR, guided long-range artillery and naval gun ammunition, Munitions
Image source: Leonardo Electronics US: Vulcano ammunition

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Italy / Germany
Type
guided long-range artillery and naval gun ammunition
Service note
Modern precision-guided artillery ammunition
Designer
Leonardo and Diehl Defence
Designed
Mid-2000s development and qualification period
Produced
Qualified and fielded by the early 2020s

Specifications

Family
Guided Long Range branch of the Vulcano ammunition family
Calibers
76 mm, 127 mm, and 155 mm Vulcano family; Ukraine conflict row is limited to the sourced 155 mm projectile
155 mm range
Up to 70 km from 155/52-caliber howitzers and up to 55 km from 155/39-caliber howitzers
127 mm range
Up to 80 km for the anti-surface GLR/IR configuration and up to 100 km for the naval fire-support GLR configuration
Guidance
Autonomous IMU and GPS guidance; terminal SAL or infrared seekers are documented on selected configurations
155 mm accuracy
Leonardo lists coordinate accuracy of 5 m CEP or less, and 3 m CEP or less with semi-active laser terminal homing
Warhead
Notched high-explosive warhead; Leonardo/Diehl also describe an insensitive high-explosive warhead with pre-fragmented tungsten fragments for the qualified 127/155 family
Compatible artillery class
155/52- and 155/39-caliber howitzers for Vulcano 155; standard mechanical interfaces for 127 mm naval ammunition
Program partners
Leonardo as design authority with Diehl Defence as development, seeker, integration, and production partner
Guidance And Caliber Branches

Vulcano-GLR is best read as a guided ammunition branch rather than a single shell. Leonardo separates the family into unguided BER rounds and guided GLR rounds; the GLR branch combines range-extension shaping with onboard guidance and configuration-specific terminal seekers.

155 mm land artillery

The 155 mm GLR round is documented for 155/52- and 155/39-caliber howitzers, with up to 70 km range from a 52-caliber barrel and optional laser terminal homing.

127 mm naval gunfire

The 127 mm GLR branch includes naval fire-support and anti-surface configurations, and Leonardo reports German Navy firing from an F125 frigate with the 127/64 Lightweight gun.

Terminal seeker options

Published Leonardo/Diehl material distinguishes coordinate-guided, semi-active laser, and infrared terminal-homing configurations rather than treating every Vulcano-GLR round as identical.

Sources: Leonardo Electronics US: Vulcano ammunition; Leonardo: Vulcano 127 for German Navy; Leonardo: ERAP award based on Vulcano 155mm GLR.

Variants

Vulcano uses BER for unguided ballistic extended-range rounds and GLR for guided long-range rounds. This record focuses on the GLR guided ammunition branch across land and naval calibers.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Vulcano 155 GLR155 mm guided land-artillery projectile

Leonardo lists the 155 mm GLR with up to 70 km range from 52-caliber howitzers, IMU/GPS guidance, coordinate accuracy near 5 m CEP, and optional semi-active laser terminal homing.

Sources: Leonardo Electronics US: Vulcano ammunition, Leonardo: Vulcano 155 datasheet

Vulcano 127 GLR127 mm guided naval-gun projectile

Leonardo and Diehl report qualification and German Navy operational suitability testing of Vulcano 127 guided ammunition fired from an F125 frigate with Leonardo's 127/64 Lightweight gun.

Sources: Leonardo: Vulcano 127 for German Navy, Leonardo Electronics US: Vulcano ammunition

Vulcano 76 GLR76 mm guided naval-gun projectile

Leonardo presents 76 mm GLR as a guided naval-gun configuration using GPS and IMU guidance with installation changes such as a digital control console or adaptation kit.

Sources: Leonardo Electronics US: Vulcano ammunition

Firing Weapons

Vulcano-GLR covers both land-artillery and naval-gun ammunition. The linked records below are limited to cataloged systems with source-backed compatibility or firing context.

Firing weaponWeapon typeFiring evidence
PzH 2000, 155 mm self-propelled howitzer, ArtilleryPzH 2000155 mm self-propelled howitzer

Army Technology reported Leonardo and Diehl integrating Vulcano 155 mm ammunition into the PzH 2000 weapon system for the German Army.

Sources: Army Technology: Vulcano 155 qualification tests

CAESAR, 155 mm truck-mounted howitzer, ArtilleryCAESAR155 mm truck-mounted howitzer

Defence24 reported Vulcano GLR had been tested with Caesar howitzers and described the round as usable from 52-caliber systems such as Caesar, Krab, and PzH 2000.

Sources: Defence24: Vulcano munitions for Ukrainian howitzers

OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano, 127 mm lightweight naval gun system, Naval SystemsOTO 127/64 LW Vulcano127 mm naval gun system

Leonardo says the German Navy completed Vulcano 127 guided-ammunition operational suitability testing from an F125 frigate using Leonardo's 127/64 Lightweight naval gun.

Sources: Leonardo: Vulcano 127 for German Navy

Compatibility limits

General 155 mm and 127 mm compatibility does not mean every cataloged gun has a documented Vulcano-GLR integration. Links are kept to systems with a direct source in this record.

Sources: Leonardo Electronics US: Vulcano ammunition, Leonardo: Vulcano 127 for German Navy

Timeline

Vulcano-GLR Key Events

  1. 155 mm qualification testing nears completion

    Army Technology reported that Leonardo and Diehl were integrating Vulcano 155 mm ammunition into the PzH 2000 weapon system for the German Army as qualification tests neared completion.

    Sources: Army Technology: Vulcano 155 qualification tests

  2. German aid list includes Ukraine-destined Vulcano rounds

    Ukrinform reported that planned German military aid for Ukraine included 255 155 mm Vulcano projectiles.

    Sources: Ukrinform: Germany to give Ukraine Vulcano projectiles

  3. German Navy 127 mm operational suitability test reported

    Leonardo said the German Navy completed operational suitability testing of Vulcano 127 guided ammunition fired from an F125 frigate with the 127/64 Lightweight naval gun.

    Sources: Leonardo: Vulcano 127 for German Navy

  4. U.S. ERAP selection announced

    Leonardo said the U.S. Army PM CAS organization selected a Vulcano 155 mm GLR-based solution for the Extended Range Artillery Projectile effort.

    Sources: Leonardo: ERAP award based on Vulcano 155mm GLR

Media

Vulcano-GLR Images

Vulcano-GLR, guided long-range artillery and naval gun ammunition, Munitions - view 1
Source: Leonardo Electronics US: Vulcano ammunition
Related Weapon Systems
155 mm NATO ammunition, 155 mm NATO-standard artillery ammunition family for 39-, 45-, and 52-caliber howitzers, MunitionsMunitions155 mm NATO ammunition155 mm NATO-standard artillery ammunition family for 39-, 45-, and 52-caliber howitzers155 mm NATO ammunition is a family of separately loaded artillery projectiles, fuzes, primers, and propelling charges built around NATO and JBMoU interoperability standards rather than a single shell. Official records document 155 mm artillery rounds in Ukraine's wartime ammunition supply and in coalition M777A2 fire missions against ISIS, while manufacturer lines show high-explosive, extended-range, training, modular-charge, and specialty projectile examples.
SMArt 155 sensor-fuzed artillery projectile, 155 mm artillery-launched, fire-and-forget anti-armor munition, MunitionsMunitionsSMArt 155 sensor-fuzed artillery projectile155 mm artillery-launched, fire-and-forget anti-armor munitionSMArt 155 is a German DM702 155 mm artillery projectile that releases two autonomous sensor-fuzed submunitions over an armored target area. Diehl identifies GIWS as the Diehl-Rheinmetall joint venture behind the munition, Rheinmetall describes the round as a fire-and-forget top-attack projectile for 155 mm guns, and SIPRI records a 2022 German transfer of DM702 SMART-155 guided shells to Ukraine.
155 mm NATO-standard ammunition, 155 mm NATO-standard artillery ammunition family, MunitionsMunitions155 mm NATO-standard ammunition155 mm NATO-standard artillery ammunition family155 mm NATO-standard ammunition is the shared Western artillery ammunition family organized around NATO JBMOU and STANAG requirements, with separate projectile, fuze, primer, and propelling-charge elements depending on the round. The family matters in conflict records because official sources document 155 mm rounds in Ukrainian artillery supply and coalition M777A2 fire missions during Operation Inherent Resolve.
155 mm artillery round, 155 mm artillery ammunition family, MunitionsMunitions155 mm artillery round155 mm artillery ammunition familyThe 155 mm artillery round is a family-level label for complete 155 mm howitzer shots rather than one projectile model. U.S. Army sources define a complete shot as fuze, primer, projectile, and propelling charge, while manufacturer and conflict records show high-explosive, extended-range, inert, precision-guided, smoke, illumination, cluster, white-phosphorus, and charge-system variants across NATO and NATO-compatible artillery use.
OTO 76/62 Super Rapid naval gun, 76 mm rapid-fire naval gun mount, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsOTO 76/62 Super Rapid naval gun76 mm rapid-fire naval gun mountThe OTO 76/62 Super Rapid is Leonardo's Italian 76 mm naval gun mount for corvettes, frigates, patrol vessels, and other surface combatants. It combines a selectable 120-round-per-minute rate of fire, an 80-round ready magazine, anti-surface and air-defense roles, optional Strales/DART guided-ammunition integration, and compact installation on small naval units. Its 2014 Russia-Ukraine War link is Ukraine's Ada-class corvette program: Naval News identified a Leonardo 76 mm Super Rapid fitted to Hetman Ivan Mazepa during sea trials in Turkiye while the corvette project remained shaped by wartime transfer constraints.

Sources

Leonardo Electronics US: Vulcano ammunitionPublisher: Leonardo Electronics US | Note: Supports Vulcano family identity, BER/GLR terminology, 76 mm/127 mm/155 mm scope, product imagery, 155 mm and 127 mm specifications, guidance, range, and program partner context. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Leonardo: Vulcano 155 datasheetPublisher: Leonardo Electronics | Note: Supports the 155 mm BER/GLR distinction, subcaliber design, compatibility with in-service 155 mm barrels and propelling charges, long-range precision-fire role, and 155 mm GLR performance figures. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Leonardo: Vulcano 127 for German NavyPublisher: Leonardo | Note: Supports Vulcano 127/155 qualification framing, Leonardo and Diehl Defence development, German Navy operational suitability testing from an F125 frigate with the 127/64 Lightweight gun, range, seeker, warhead, and naval firing-platform relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Leonardo: ERAP award based on Vulcano 155mm GLRPublisher: Leonardo | Note: Supports Vulcano 155 mm GLR identity, U.S. Army ERAP selection context, combat-proven/fielded wording, Leonardo design-authority role, Diehl Defence seeker and production role, and terminal guidance description. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Army Technology: Vulcano 155 qualification testsPublisher: Army Technology | Note: Supports 155 mm qualification-test background and the PzH 2000 integration relationship for Vulcano 155 mm ammunition. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Defence24: Vulcano munitions for Ukrainian howitzersPublisher: Defence24 | Note: Supports the Ukraine-focused 155 mm Vulcano ammunition context, GLR/BER distinction, 155 mm howitzer compatibility discussion, and Caesar/PzH 2000 testing claims. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Ukrinform: Germany to give Ukraine Vulcano projectilesPublisher: Ukrinform | Note: Supports conflictUsage:2014 Russia-Ukraine War because it reports planned German military aid of 255 155 mm Vulcano projectiles for Ukraine during the war. | Accessed: 2026-07-08GAU: Vulcano 155mm artillery ammunition footagePublisher: German Aid to Ukraine | Note: Supports conflictUsage:2014 Russia-Ukraine War because it identifies 255 Vulcano 155 mm artillery ammunition as delivered military assistance to Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-08SIPRI: Arms Transfers DatabasePublisher: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | Note: Supports transfer-research context by documenting the SIPRI database scope and its 2026 update through transfers for 1950-2025; it is not used as direct Vulcano conflict-use support. | Accessed: 2026-07-08