Munitions Standardization, Effectiveness and Safety
Abstract
This Program Element (PE) supports continuing technology investigations by providing a coordinated Tri-Service mechanism for the collection and free exchange of technical data on the performance and effectiveness of all non-nuclear conventional munitions and weapons systems in a realistic operational environment. Project 296 - This Project will support research, development and testing to identify, characterize and resolve reliability, safety, storage and manufacturing issues that impact production availability and field use of demolitions, grenades, shoulder launched munitions, mines and mine clearing charges and pyrotechnics, including training realism. Project will result in the development and demonstration of new, safe, reliable and environmentally acceptable munitions. Project 297 - Munitions Survivability & Logistics: This Project supports the future force by making Army units more survivable through the investigation, testing and demonstration of munitions logistics system improvements that prevent or minimize catastrophic explosive events and accelerate ammunition resupply. Key thrusts are munitions storage area survivability, Insensitive Munitions (IM) technology integration and compliance, ammunition management and asset visibility, weapon system rearm, munitions configured load enablers and advanced packaging and distribution system enhancements. Within each thrust, a broad array of solutions will be identified, tested, and evaluated against developed system measures of effectiveness. Optimum, cost effective and efficient solutions that enable the rapid projection of lethal and survivable forces will be demonstrated. The early stages of force deployment are especially critical. Theater ammunition storage areas are vulnerable and present the enemy with lucrative targets. These areas and distribution nodes contain the only available munitions stocks in theater. Loss of these munition stocks could cripple the force, jeopardize the mission, and result in high loss of life. This Project mitigates vulnerabilities and ensures a survivable fighting force. Project 857 - DoD Explosives Safety Standards: This Project supports the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation efforts of the Department of Defense (DoD) Explosive Safety Standards Board. It supports explosive safety effects research and testing to quantify hazards and to develop techniques to mitigate those hazards in all DoD manufacturing, testing, transportation, maintenance, storage, disposal of ammunition and explosives operations, and also to develop risk based explosives safety standards. Results are essential to the development and improvement of quantity-distance standards, hazard classification procedures, cost effective explosion-resistant facility design procedures, and personnel hazard/protection criteria. Project 858 - Army Explosives Safety Management Program: This Project establishes, validates or modifies explosives technical safety requirements per Department of Defense Manual 6055.09 and Department of the Army Pamphlet 385-64, Ammunition and Explosives Safety Standards. Project activities promote Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDTE) of new and innovative explosives safety technologies that improve the survivability of Army personnel, facilities, and equipment as well as improve the health, safety and welfare of the general public (with highest priority directed to combat theater of operations). Project 859 - Life Cycle Pilot Process: This Project supports the implementation of the Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition (SMCA) Industrial Base Strategic Plan through technology investigations, model based process controls, pilot prototyping, and industrial assessments. It will assess life cycle production capabilities required for all ammunition families, address design for manufacturability to facilitate economical production, identify industrial and technology requirements, and address the ability of the production base to rapidly and cost effectively produce quality products. Cost reduction is an important part of the Life Cycle Pilot Process (LCPP). LCPP provides the resources to prototype critical technologies and develop the knowledge base to establish cost effective, environmentally safe and modern production processes in support of the munitions Industrial Base transformation. In addition, the LCPP program addresses Single Point Failures (SPFs) / No Source of supply within the National Technology Industrial Base (NTIB). LCPP provides support to reduce supply chain risk by investigating, developing and evaluating additional sources of supply for a known SPF. Project F21: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Ammunition Evaluation program funding ensures interchangeability of ammunition and weapons among all the NATO countries with all of the associated logistic, strategic and tactical advantages of the alliance. This Project involves development and testing compliance of NATO standardization agreements (STANAGS) and staffing of the North American Regional Test Center (NARTC). In addition, this Project supports small caliber ammunition, 50mm ammunition, 40mm grenade munitions, medium caliber cannon ammunition, and large caliber ammunition enhancements to lethality, effectiveness, survivability, accuracy, and general product improvements. This Project also supports the standardization and interchangeability of legacy and new production United States (US) weapons and ammunition with Allied Nations to maximize battlefield interchangeability/ compatibility under the auspices of international agreements to include NATO working groups, the Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (JBMOU), and information/ data exchange agreements. Maximizing standardization, interchangeability, and exportability will also potentially increase Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of US indirect fire weapon and munition products to support US industrial base production and affordable Department of Defense pricing through increased economies of scale. Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) funding will support NATO and JBMOU artillery and small arms ammunition interchangeability group meetings, documentation, and test operations. Project F24: Conventional Munitions Demilitarization (Demil): The Conventional Munitions Demilitarization technology Project supports the SMCA responsibility per Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 5160.68 to plan, program, budget and fund a Joint Service Research and Development (R&D) program that develops capability and capacity as well as technology and facilities to support the SMCA mission to demil and dispose of conventional ammunition stored in the SMCA Resource, Recovery and Disposition Account (B5A). The program goals include SMCA efforts to increase efficiencies and effectiveness to reduce the demil stockpile; reduce processing costs including packaging, handling and crating; and increase capacity through improved demilitarization capabilities and processes. Project F24 includes activities: (1) to establish requirements and develop processes to focus investments, assess capabilities, analyze alternatives, and recommend and implement R&D projects; (2) to improve products and processes that support existing capabilities; (3) to develop or improve demil methods and processes related to advance the primary demilitarization core thrust areas of destruction, disassembly, removal, resource recovery and recycling, and waste stream treatment; (4) to ensure safe and environmentally acceptable demil operations; (5) to transition R&D products to United States Army depots or plants as well as commercial facilities performing demil; and (6) to mitigate risk and close-out project activities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2022
- Source ID
- 0605805A_6_2040_PB_2022
- Change Summary Explanation
- Service Agency Name
- Army
Entities
Organizations
- United States Army
Related Documents
- Child Project: Mun Survivability & Log
- Child Accomplishment: Munitions Predictive Life
- Child Accomplishment: Insensitive Munitions (IM) Integration Program
- Child Accomplishment: Improved Munitions Packaging
- Child Accomplishment: Ammo Provider
- Child Project: DoD Explosives Safety Standards
- Child Accomplishment: Explosive and Munitions Tests
- Child Accomplishment: Explosive Safety Standards (ESS) Implementation Methodologies & Tools
- Child Accomplishment: Standard Development & Improvement
- Child Accomplishment: Web-Based Explosive Safety Siting (ESS)
- Child Project: Army Explosives Safety Management Program
- Child Accomplishment: Risk based explosives safety criteria
- Child Accomplishment: Development of enhanced protective structure designs
- Child Accomplishment: Development of explosive safety tools
- Child Project: Life Cycle Pilot Process
- Child Accomplishment: Product Cost Thrust Area
- Child Accomplishment: Single Point Failures (SPFs)
- Child Accomplishment: Manufacturing Technology for Industrial Base Transformation
- Child Project: NATO Ammo Evaluation
- Child Accomplishment: New Ammo Design Qualification & NATO Mission Support
- Child Accomplishment: Joint Ballistics Program Support
- Child Project: Conventional Munitions Demil
- Child Accomplishment: Advanced Destruction
- Child Accomplishment: Resource Recovery and Recycling (R3)
- Child Accomplishment: Advanced Removal
- Child Accomplishment: Advanced Waste Stream Treatment
- Child Accomplishment: Advanced Munitions Disassembly