Stretching the 3-inch

Of course - most want 8-inches instead, with a few Marines dreaming of the joys of a 16-inch - but if you only have 3 or 5 inches to work with - you've got to make it count.

Wait ... that doesn't read right. Oh, nevermind ... see below.

Oto Melara unveiled yesterday a family of extended range and guided 76mm projectiles it is developing for the popular 76/62 naval gun system. The new Vulcano 76 round transforms this classic naval weapon into a multi-mission weapon system, capable of handling surface targets at sea and on land. The weapon addresses new operational requirements evolving from modern littoral warfare missions; as reflected in the Second lebanon War (2006) and the Libyan campaign in 2011. In addition to engaging surface targets, the system can handle air-defense as well as fulfil classic naval gunnery support (NGS).
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As a guided projectile, the fin-stabilized Vulcano 76 will offer autonomous GPS/INS guidance, practically doubling the range of current 76/62 systems. When engaging fixed land based targets or surface targets at sea, the new projectile enables even small vessels to engage targets with high precision, from ranges exceeding 40 km, at a high rate of fire. The new capability will enable small littoral combat ships, frigates or gunboats to dominate a wide coastal area from a stand-off distance, out of the range of contemporary medium range anti-ship coastal defense missiles, rockets or artillery. Vulcano 76 will use a common guided or unguided projectiles, fitted with a new multi-modal RF microwave fuse offering altimetric (airburst), proximity (against aerial, naval and surface targets) or delayed impact (penetrating) and self-destruct modes. Employing the optimal fusing method enables the five kilogram pre-fragmented warhead made of tungsten-steel compound to provide twice the lethality of existing rounds at 80% of the weight. ... The time of flight reaching targets at 40 km is about 120 seconds.

Yea .... but not our Littoral Combat Ship - it uses the unsupported 57mm.

Something beats nothing. The French, as we saw, made good work in Libya with their 100mm and the Brits with their 4.5" ... so ... the gun continues to prove its utility. Improvements to proven systems; what a radical concept.

Hey ... what about our ERGM. Ummmm, errrr .... oh, yea.