Tank and Medium Caliber Ammunition

Abstract

The Direct Fire Advanced Technology (DFAT) Program Element (PE) encompasses a comprehensive program to develop, rapidly transition to production, and field advanced tank, medium and small caliber ammunitions. These programs will ensure continued battlefield overmatch and lethality of U.S. maneuver forces despite worldwide development and proliferation of enhanced armored vehicle protection technologies. To achieve this, DFAT will identify and develop promising technologies through competitive development and streamlined acquisition procedures. All ammunition development funds within this PE are managed to facilitate transitions between phases, avoid administrative delays, and focus resources on the most promising areas. FY 2011 M829E4 AKE Cartridge funding supports the completion of Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) Phase I and Phase II initiation of the M829E4. The M829E4 round is an unguided, direct fire, platform-delivered Line of Sight (LOS) munition that will provide fast response lethality to rapidly destroy threat targets with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) and Active Protection Systems (APS) in the close fight from 0-2km (T) and to 0-4km (O). The M829E4 will be compatible with the 120mm Current Force Abrams Main Battle Tank and 120mm platforms. FY 2012 funding supports design finalization, design verification, testing and fabrication of Design, Test and Evaluation hardware and beginning of testing. FY 13 will feature near completion of testing and preparation for Milestone C. Funding in FY 2012 on Project 656 supports the Milestone B decision for the Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) cartridge program. The AMP is a platform delivered, multi-purpose cartridge that will provide the Abrams Tank and future 120mm platforms with the capability to defeat a multitude of targets throughout the joint battle space. AMP will be optimized for use in urban environments in direct support of infantry. It will provide a new wall-breaching capability and the ability to engage and defeat dismounted enemy forces such as Anti-Tank Guided Missile teams at ranges from 50m to 2000m (T) and 50m to 4500m (O). The AMP cartridge is a next generation multi-purpose round that will replace the M830 HEAT-MP-T, M830A1 HEAT MP-T, M1028 Canister, and M908 OR-T cartridges by consolidating the capabilities into a single round. FY13 funding for AMP will be utilized to conduct source selection efforts, make initial EMD contract award(s) and evaluate and demonstrate competing EMD prototypes. The Abrams Main Battle Tank must be equipped with an Ammunition Data Link in order to realize the full performance benefits of our future munitions including M829E4 and AMP. The Hell Hound project 694 was a 40mm Low Velocity door breeching cartridge for Infantry using the M203 grenade launcher which breeches doors from a distance. Funding analysis and testing concluded in FY10.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2012
• Source ID: 0603639A_4_2040_PB_2012
• Service Agency Name: Army

Entities

Organizations

• United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Energy and Power Technologies
• Human Systems
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Ammunition
• Anti-Tank Missiles
• Armored Vehicles
• Combat Operations
• Contractors
• Contracts
• Cost Analysis
• Cost Estimates
• Developmental Tests
• Engineering
• Guided Missiles
• Kinetic Energy
• Military Operations
• Munitions
• Performance Tests
• Test And Evaluation

Readers

• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
• Munitions and Ordnance Engineering

Technology Areas

• Space