Europe has a significant potential for the production of a wide range of ammunition, from small-caliber to artillery and tank shells. Medium caliber is no exception, as its scope ranges from infantry fighting vehicles to air defense systems
Several years ago, there was a kind of concentration of opportunities in this area on the European continent, although the number of players did not significantly decrease. To this end, the European Defense Agency launched the CapTech Ammunition Technologies or CapTech Ammo initiative, which aims to create a network of European experts within the agency, search for breakthrough technological solutions, evaluate specific technologies and implement joint research projects or programs in the field of the most promising technologies: energy materials (energetic materials - substances or mixtures in which the release of energy occurs in the process of a chemical reaction required for their intended use), missiles and ammunition.
Three out of eight
Three of the eight categories considered under this initiative are clearly related to the type of ammunition that is the subject of the article: energetic materials, which include explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics; lethality and protection of platforms, where cores, warheads and assessment of combat damage play an important role; and, finally, launching and ensuring the flight of shells and missiles.
Areas of activity include ammunition life management, a mission termination system for guided munitions, desensitization of energetic materials, and additive manufacturing techniques for energetic materials. The work under the CapTech Ammo initiative, in general, is in the range of technological readiness levels from 2 to 6 (feasibility study - demonstration of a prototype). Advances in technology will allow, without resorting to an increase in the caliber of guns, to improve the impact of shells in the final section of the trajectory, and all this in opposition to the trend of increasing the level of protection of tactical vehicles.
While 20mm cannons were common in infantry fighting vehicles in the 1970s, the French AMX-10P and the German Marder are good examples. A decade later, after being installed on the American Bradley BMP, the 25 mm caliber became the standard, which was followed by other countries. Until recently, this caliber remained one of the most common, as evidenced by the example of the French VBCI and the Italian wheeled BMP Freccia, which have 25 mm cannons. However, the newest tracked infantry fighting vehicles are mainly armed with 30-mm and even 35-mm cannons, examples are CV9030 and CV9035, Ulan and Pizarro, Puma and many other vehicles.
The British platforms Ajax Scout-SV and the modernized Warrior, as well as the French Jaguar 6x6, will be the first vehicles armed with 40mm CTAS cannons firing telescopic ammunition. The 40 mm caliber in a more traditional form is being developed by the American company Orbital ATK for its Mk44 cannon, while the Bushmaster III for the 35x228 mm projectile can be easily modified for firing 50 mm ammunition, although no one has yet decided to switch to this caliber. As for the type of ammunition, in addition to standard high-explosive fragmentation projectiles, we see armor-piercing projectiles in the form of armor-piercing sub-caliber projectiles and even armor-piercing feathered sub-caliber projectiles. However, one of the current trends is that air detonation ammunition with a programmable fuse can optimize the impact on the infantry in open areas, but at the same time retain some armor-piercing capabilities along with the over-barrier effect.
As already mentioned, steps were taken several years ago to consolidate some of the European ammunition production capabilities. In 2015, the French company Nexter acquired two companies, the Belgian Mecar and the Italian Simmel Difesa, becoming one of the few players with a portfolio covering almost all calibers, including those used in Eastern Europe.
40mm, new trend
As already noted, the CT-40 cannon of the CTAI company is installed on the new Ajax Scout-SV armored vehicle and the Warrior armored vehicle upgraded according to the WCSR program, which have passed the required firing tests. Shooting tests of a prototype of the French Jaguar armored vehicle are scheduled for the end of 2018. CTAI plans to produce six different types of projectiles, the first to qualify in 2014 was the tracer armor-piercing feathered sub-caliber projectile (BOPS; NATO designation APFSDS-T). A core weighing 550 grams is capable of piercing a sheet of rolled homogeneous (homogeneous) steel 140 mm thick from a distance of 1500 meters, its initial speed is 1500 m / s, an effective firing range is over 2.5 km, and a dispersion rate is about 0.3 mrad (thousandth). Along with this BOPS was also qualified a practical tracer projectile (TP-T), which reproduces the external ballistics of the former. Given its effect on sandbags, earthworks and light armor, the French army decided that it could be useful in combat as well. This type, painted in green paint and designated GPR-KE (General Purpose Round Kinetic Energy - universal kinetic projectile), will be purchased by the Office of Defense Procurement for the Jaguar armored vehicle. The second universal projectile, qualified at the beginning of 2018, was designated GPR-PD-T (Point Detonation Tracer). Its weight is 980 grams, it is distinguished by a pre-fragmented body filled with 115 grams of an insensitive explosive. Created to fight targets behind cover, it is capable of penetrating a reinforced concrete wall 210 mm thick from a distance of 1 km, but at the same time retains some armor-piercing capabilities, since it can penetrate rolled armor 15 mm thick from the same distance, the maximum range of actual fire is 2.5 km, and an initial speed of 1000 m / s. In addition to the aforementioned capabilities, the GPR-AB-T (Air Burst Tracer) projectile with a programmable fuse is capable of neutralizing targets behind cover, as well as vehicle optical systems. His qualifications are expected in 2019.
A practical tracer projectile under the designation TPRR-T (RR stands for reduced range) corresponds to the trajectory of live projectiles up to 1.5 km, but allows the distance to be halved, to about 6 km, which makes it possible to conduct live firing at small shooting ranges. After the qualification process of the company, the process of its qualification by the military began. Recently, the development of another KW-AB or A3B-T (Anti Aerial Airburst Tracer) projectile has begun, but it is more intended for air defense systems than for BMP ammunition. The ammunition for the CTAI cannon is made in the UK and France, each country produces ammunition for its own army. Nexter Munitions has invested 4-5 million euros in a new fully automated line at its plant in La Chapelle-Saint-Ursen, which requires only three operators to operate, but which is capable of firing one round every nine minutes. It also makes it easy to switch from the production of one type of ammunition to another, the maximum line capacity is 300 thousand rounds per year. The line reached its maximum power in June 2018, starting to manufacture the first batches of shells for testing with the new Jaguar 6x6 reconnaissance armored vehicle.
With regard to conventional medium caliber ammunition, most of the Nexter Munitions catalog is dedicated to ammunition for aircraft cannons mounted on airplanes and helicopters. In 2015, medium-caliber ground and aircraft ammunition production capacity reached its limit, with the main bottleneck being case production. In this regard, a new complex for the production of sleeves was organized, which made it possible to increase production volumes from 2,000 to 5,000 pieces per day, as well as switch to a lean production model and increase productivity. In addition to various casings, the complex allows the production of casings for 25x137 mm projectiles included in the armament complex of the VBCI 8x8 BMP. Nexter manufactures the HEI-T high-explosive incendiary tracer projectile weighing 183 grams, equipped with 27 grams of explosive and a percussion head fuse. Its initial speed is 1100 m / s, the range of actual fire is 2.5 km and the dispersion is less than 0.8 thousandth. To effectively combat targets in open areas, Nexter has developed a prototype HEI-T projectile in the air detonation version, which retains its characteristics, but is equipped with a dual-mode shock / air detonation fuse. Programming is carried out by means of an induction coil at the time of loading. A program with a technological readiness level of 6 (a prototype has been tested, the characteristics are close to expected) will be launched when the interest of the French army takes a concrete form.
The Belgian company Mecar, part of the Nexter Ammunition Business Group, has 25mm and 30mm ammunition in its portfolio. Its M935A2 tracer BOPS 25x137 mm, developed in the 90s, became a bestseller due to its 75% increased armor penetration compared to standard non-penned armor-piercing shells. More than 800 thousand of these shells were manufactured and sold to the countries of Europe and the Middle East. To cope with the requirements for combat training, the company has developed the M937 training projectile, the ballistics of which coincides with the ballistics of combat ammunition up to 1000 meters, but which has a maximum range of less than 3600 meters. As for the 30 mm, the company produces shells for the 30x173 mm Mk44 cannon and for the 30x165 mm cannons of Russian origin.
30mm while standard
As for the "western" calibers, in 2017 the company completed the development of the BOPS M928 caliber 30x173 mm. The high performance of this projectile was achieved, among other things, through close cooperation with specialized companies, for example, Cime Bocuze and Kennametal, which specialize in high density tungsten alloys and metal working tools, respectively. The M928 cobalt-free tungsten core penetrates a 60 mm thick rolled armor plate at 60 degrees of encounter from a distance of 1000 meters with a standard dispersion of less than 0.44 thousandths. Mecar is currently finalizing the development of a low-cost training version of the M928 projectile, which is up to 1000 meters in ballistics similar to BOPS and has a maximum range of less than 4000 meters compared to more than 10,000 meters of a warhead. Mecar wins first production contracts for the M928; additional demonstration firing at the customer's site is planned for 2018. For its part, Nexter is qualifying a high-explosive incendiary projectile of this caliber.
Not forgetting in any way about the "eastern" shells, the Belgian company modified the M928 projectile, resulting in the M929 projectile - a 30x165 mm tracer BOPS with a tungsten core. A shortened steel case (aluminum for the M928) and a reduced amount of gunpowder reduced the muzzle velocity from 1400 to 1275 m / s. The projectile was tested with a 2A42 cannon, showing a standard dispersion of less than 0.5 thousandths at 1000 meters and the ability to penetrate a sheet of rolled armor steel 50 mm thick at an angle of 60 degrees from a distance of 1000 meters, which is almost twice as much as standard projectiles from the BMP- 2. Demonstration firing at the customer's site was successfully carried out in late 2017-early 2018, and additional firing is planned for the second half of this year. Further tests of the projectile will be carried out in order to demonstrate its compatibility with the 2A72 cannon installed in the BMP-3. Mecar, which recently received this weapon system, conducted its first tests in April 2018. The company's engineers are considering the possibility of reducing the mass of the projectile in order to ensure the correct operation of the gun. A decrease in kinetic energy can lead to a slight decrease in armor penetration. However, given the characteristics of the Russian 28-mm BOPS, the projectiles developed by Mecar should find their grateful customer.
The German company Rheinmetall boasts a full portfolio of medium caliber ammunition for aircraft cannons, anti-aircraft guns and ground armored vehicles, which will be further discussed. As the developer of AHEAD (Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction) technology for anti-aircraft guns, she used this know-how to develop her family of air blast ammunition, currently available in 30x173 mm and 35x228 mm calibers. She also developed PELE (Penetrator with Enhanced Lateral Effect) technology. The PELE projectile is an elongated glass (length 3-20 calibers) made of a durable material (steel, tungsten) with an open front and closed rear end, inside which there is an insert made of an inert light compressible material (for example, polyethylene). The principle of operation of such a projectile is that, due to the open end, the insert of light material is compressed upon impact, and after breaking through the obstacle, the stored elastic energy leads to radial expansion and fragmentation of the walls of the projectile, creating a fragmentation flow behind the obstacle. This technology has also been applied to medium caliber ammunition; Currently, PELE-type projectiles are available in calibers 25x137 and 30x173 mm. As for the 30mm, Rheinmetall is currently supplying the Bundeswehr with ammunition for the new Puma infantry fighting vehicle, which is armed with a 30mm MK30-2 / ABM automatic cannon. The company produces 30x173 mm projectiles of various types, in addition to the PELE-T with an armor-piercing core, the family includes: an air detonation projectile, a tracer BOPS, a thin-walled armor-piercing subcaliber incendiary. The air blast projectile, also known as KETF (Kinetic Energy Time Fused - kinetic with a remote fuse), is equipped with an electronic timer, a programmable inductive coil in the muzzle. The warhead consists of 162 cylindrical tungsten alloy striking elements weighing 1, 24 grams each, which are ejected with a small expelling charge in front of the target. They form a lethal cone of debris, which greatly increases the likelihood of being hit. The damaging effect of the KETF projectile can be regulated by changing the detonation distance, and therefore it is capable of striking a wide range of modern targets, including infantry fighting vehicles, ATGM shelters, dismounted infantry and helicopters. As for the BOPS, it contains a core with a mass of 235 grams, which develops an initial speed of over 1400 m / s.
25 mm, a matter of choice
In the field of 25-mm ammunition, Rheinmetall, taking as a basis various technologies APDS (Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot, armor-piercing sub-caliber), FAP DS (Frangible Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot, thin-walled armor-piercing sub-caliber), PELE and PIE (Pyrotechnically Induced Effect, with pyrotechnic), combined them in one shell. The result was the (F) APPIE-T (Frangible) Armor Piercing. Designed in 25x173 mm caliber, the (F) APPIE-T projectile corresponds to the standard high-explosive incendiary tracer ammunition according to the firing tables, but does not have an explosive or fuse at all and therefore is completely inert, excluding, of course, propellant. When meeting a target, a shock wave arises and spreads, mechanical "overpressure" becomes the cause of the simultaneous fragmentation of the shell of the projectile and the rapid combustion of the pyrotechnic charge. The cumulative effect contributes to the acceleration of the dispersion of the fragments, increasing the lateral impact in comparison with the PELE projectile, at the same time, the angle of dispersion of the fragments is almost constant over the entire firing distance, since it is not determined by the speed of the meeting. The tungsten carbide projectile core allows you to fight light and medium-armored targets, combining good penetration and fragmentation. The projectile is also capable of providing some deterrent effect, for example, through flash, sound and blast wave.
20 mm, revival
Under pressure from the Bundeswehr and in order to increase the firepower of the Jordanian BMP Marder, Rheinmetall is developing a new family of 20x139 mm projectiles. Since the German army is experiencing an acute shortage of 20-mm practical ammunition, the company is developing a cheap practical tracer for combat training, which should soon appear on the market. After him, a new armor-piercing projectile and a high-explosive fragmentation projectile should appear; new technologies will significantly increase their capabilities, but the company does not provide any additional information on them.
The portfolio of the Norwegian company Nammo includes a full line of 25x137 mm ammunition, qualified for use with the M242 Bushmaster II and KBA cannons. This lineup ranges from the MP-T (Multipurpose Tracer) universal tracer, capable of penetrating 16 mm of rolled armor from a distance of 1000 meters, which can also fire at buildings, the High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) and the self-destructing high-explosive incendiary projectile. HEI-SD (Self Destructive) for the destruction of manpower and material objects to an armor-piercing fragmentation incendiary projectile with a self-destruction function SAPHEI / SD (Semi Armor Piercing High Explosive Incendiary Self Destructive). The same types of rounds are also available in 30x173 mm caliber, including for the Mk 44 Bushmaster II and Mauser MK30 cannons. The HEI / SD and SAPHEI / SD types in 35x228 mm are produced for Rheinmetall Defense cannons and, in addition, tested with the Bushmaster III cannon.
In the field of 30mm ammunition, the most innovative round is currently the Mk258 Mod 1 "Swimmer". A tracer BOPS with a core weighing 230 grams and an initial velocity of 1430 m / s has specific characteristics: the design of the nose allows the projectile to move in supercavitation mode, that is, a cavity filled with water vapor forms around it, which reduces the resistance of the medium, which slows down a conventional projectile in water … Designed for use mostly in water, it can, however, also be used in the ammunition load of an infantry fighting vehicle, primarily because of its armor-piercing ability, more than 100 mm of rolled armor from 1000 meters, and, in addition, it can be used to protect harbors. bridges and other important objects from threats coming from the water. The Norwegian company may soon add another new product to its catalog, as work is in full swing on an air blast projectile of 30x173 mm caliber.
She used her experience in the development of a 40x53 mm grenade, in which the fuse is programmed through an easy-to-install radio frequency system that operates in the gigahertz range, which significantly reduces the likelihood of jamming. The projectile has already been demonstrated and is currently at the stage of finalization. Discussions are underway with potential customers about what type of fragmentation they need to tackle the highest priority targets.
By license
The Polish company Mesko, being the main supplier of ammunition for the armed forces of its country, since 2015 it has become part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ). The company produces medium caliber projectiles, some under license, and some of its own design. For example, BOPS are manufactured under license from Nammo and, as a result, are intended only for the Polish market. The most recent products include a 30x173 mm thin-walled armor-piercing tracer projectile designed for the Orbital ATK Mk44 Bushmaster II automatic cannon. The sub-caliber core has a mass of 235 grams, and the total mass of the projectile is 715-750 grams. The projectile develops an average maximum pressure of less than 460 MPa, the maximum pressure is 520 MPa; an initial speed of 1385 m / s and a range of actual fire of 3.5 km. A typical representative of thin-walled ammunition, the projectile guarantees penetration of a 30 mm thick armor plate at an angle of 30 ° to the firing line and then penetrates a third 0.3 mm thick aluminum witness plate. Mesko is currently working on an air blast projectile, but at the same time it is not ready to provide information about this promising product.
The USA is indispensable
In the USA, the well-known company Orbital ATK (currently part of the newly created division of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems) is engaged in the production of medium-caliber ammunition for BMPs. The company manufactures shells of Western calibers 20, 25x137, 30x113, 30x170, 30x173 mm, as well as shells for guns of Russian origin in calibers 23x152 mm and 30x165 mm. At the moment, various development programs are nearing completion, after which customers will be able to increase the combat capabilities of their vehicles.
Orbital ATK is developing a 30x113 mm projectile with a proximity fuse for the M230LF Chain Gun. This will expand the combat capabilities of the gun due to the ammunition with the function of air detonation. One of the new applications of such projectiles is the fight against UAVs. The company demonstrated the capabilities of this projectile during an exercise conducted at Fort Sill in December 2017. An electronic detection and jamming system for drones, integrated with the M230LF Chain Gun, was installed on the Stryker armored vehicle.
The company plans to conduct the next tests of this projectile in a scenario of combating UAVs at the end of 2018. But this initiative development is far from complete, the company intends to use its experience with this fuse to create a 30x113 mm guided projectile. The first tests to correct its trajectory will be carried out within the next 12 months.
In addition, the company is conducting its own qualification tests of its MK3T0 Programmable Air Bursting Munition (PABM 30x173 mm), which is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Orbital ATK supplied more shells to the US Army for their qualification on modernized Strykers armored vehicles, which were equipped with a Kongsberg MCT30 turret armed with an Orbital ATK XM813 Bushmaster cannon. This cannon is capable of firing the new Orbital ATK PABM rounds.
The company has conducted several successful trials and internal demonstrations of its MK44 cannon and PABM ammunition in tactical counter-drone scenarios. All variants of the MK44 Bushmaster automatic cannon are capable of firing 30x173 mm, 30x170 mm projectiles at the Rarden and KCB cannons. The MK44 cannon can be easily converted to the Super Forty 40mm configuration by simply changing the barrel and feed mechanism. This is why Orbital ATK is in the process of qualifying a family of 40 mm ammunition, which should be completed at the end of 2018; this family includes TP-T, HEI-T, APFSDS-T (BOPS) and PABM projectiles. The current program to increase the firepower of the Stryker armored vehicle (Stryker Lethality Upgrade Program) provides for the installation of Orbital ATK cannons, the caliber of which can be increased to 40 mm, which allows to increase the firepower at a relatively low cost.
