120rifled mortar usmc - usa 20017

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Qualification of 120mm Rifled Ammunition inSupport of the

Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFSS)

42 nd Annual Armament Systems: Guns andMissile Systems Conference & Exhibition

April 23-26,2007Charlotte, NC

Approved for public releaseby MARCORSYSCOM on

4/19/07



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EFSS Program Overview

Expeditionary Fire Support System is a U.S. Marine requirement for aweapon system that must be:

All weather Ground Based

Close supporting AccurateImmediate ResponseLethal indirect fire



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EFSS System Description

An EFSS system consists of:

Two Prime Movers Ammunition Trailer 120mm Rifled Mortar Full Suite of 120mm Rifled Ammunition

Approved for Release by TDA



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Mortar and Ammunition Background

TDA (a subsidiary of Thales) developed 120mm Rifled

Mortar and AmmunitionDeveloped in the early 1970sIn service with 24 countries, including 4 NATO armiesand Japan.Over 500,000 rounds fired with no issues.Rifled barrel provides a spin stabilized projectile.Maximum range of standard rifled ammunition is 8.1kmGD-OTS teamed with TDA to bring rifled mortarcapability to EFSS platform




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Standard 120mm Rifled Ammunition

TDA’s 120mm Standard AmmunitionSuiteHigh Explosive (HE) – 4.2 kg of TNTPractice – 0.5 kg of black powder forspottingIllumination – 1.9 kg flare

Obscurant/Incendiary (Smoke) – 2.8kg of White Phosphorous

All four types of ammunition share thesame Tail Charge Assembly




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120mm Rifled Ammunition for USMC

USMC funded GD-OTS to upgrade the ammunition to

meet qualification requirements of the USN for EFSSInsensitive Munitions (IM)Environmental and Durability

Hazard ClassificationFuze SafetyPerformance Oriented Packaging (POP)Electro-static Discharge



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EFSS HE Ammunition Upgrade

Modifications to HE ProjectileReplace TNT fill with PBXW-128(HMX based)Equip with an M767A1 fuzeutilizing a PBXN-5 booster

Add a fuze venting liner between

the projectile body and the fuze

Design ConstraintMaintain equivalent lethalitySimilar ballistics

FUZE BOOSTER BODYExplosive

FIRINGPIN

BASE OF SHELL

SPRING CLIPSEJECTING CHARGE

CHARGESCARTRIDGE

OBTURATING RING




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Modifications to Practice ProjectileEquip with an M767A1 fuzeutilizing a PBXN-5 booster

Add a fuze venting linerbetween the projectile bodyand the fuze

Design ConstraintMaintain spotting abilitySame ballistic to EFSS HE

EFSS Practice Ammunition Upgrade

SPRING CLIPS EJECTINGCHARGE PROPELLANTCHARGECARTDRIDGE

FIRING PIN

FUZEBOOSTER

BODYINERT

CHARGE

OBTURATINGRING

REAR OF BODY

BLACK POWDERCHARGE




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Modifications to IlluminationProjectileEquip with an M762A1 fuze

Design Constraint

Maintain flare abilitySimilar ballistics

EFSS Illumination Ammunition Upgrade

SPRING CLIPS EJECTING

CHARGE

PROPELLANT

CHARGES

CARTRIDGE FIRING

PIN

FUZE

OBTURATING RING

ILLUMINATINGCHARGEIGNITION

FRONTBODY

SECONDARYPROJECTILE

PARACHUTEPROTECTOR

HOUSING

MAINPARACHUTE

BRAKEPARACHUTE

REAR BODYOF PROJECTILE




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EFSS Container Assembly Upgrade

PA117 Vented Container Assembly for HE, Practice, and Illuminationrounds

Blow out panels allow pressure releaseFoam packaging separates and returns to resin form when heatedFuze has room to completely detach from projectile with heat andpressure

Blowout Panelsallow pressure

release from insidethe container

Foam cushions andsleeves melt and

separate to preventinsulation of heat



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Environmental/Durability

Qualification Test Plan

45 EFSS rounds of each ammunition type weretested (including vibration and drop testing)

High Temp (+160F)Low Temp (-65 F)Low Pressure AltitudeTemperature Shock

Test facilities includedNSWC DahlgrenNSWC CraneHawthorne



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54 EFSS rounds ofeach ammunitiontype were tested

Testing required tomeet MIL-STD-2105C, Hazard

Assessment Testsfor Non-NuclearMunitions

Hazard Assessment/Classification

Qualification Test PlanHazard Assessment/Classification

Testing(54)

TransportationVibration

[-65F](3)

28 Day Temp.& Humidity

(12)

TransportationVibration[+160F]

(3)

TransportationVibration

[+70F](3)

ShipboardVibration

[-65F](3)

ShipboardVibration

[+70F](3)

ShipboardVibration[+160F]

(3)

4 Day Temp.& Humidity

(6)

Inspect, X-ray& Fire

(3)

40Ft Drop(3)


(3)


(3)Slow Cook-off

(2)

CombinedFast Cook-off/ External Fire

(25)

Bullet Impact(2)

FragmentImpact

(2)

CombinedSympathetic

Detonation/ Stack Test

(8)

ShapedCharge Jet

(2)

ThermalStability

(1)



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EFSS Qualification Results

IMRB reviewed the EFSS ammunition qualification resultsTesting reviewed and results officially scored

Approved for submission for final qualifications

EFSS RoundTypes

Slow Cook-Off

Fast Cook-Off

FragmentImpact

BulletImpact

SympatheticDetonationConfined

SympatheticDetonationUnconfined

Shape ChargeJet

HE V IV III V Pass Pass IIllumination V IV III IV Pass Pass Not scheduledSmokeProjectile III III IV Not scheduledSmoke TailCharge

Assembly IV III IV Not scheduledPractice V IV III IV Pass Pass Not scheduled

IM TESTSEFSS AMMUNITION QUALIFICATION STATUS April 16th, 2007

III (MixedPallet)

Pass (Mixedpallet)

Pass (Mixedpallet)



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EFSS Qualification Conclusion

All qualification testing in accordance with the basic test plan have beencompleted

Testing conducted at the following locations:NSWC DahlgrenNSWC CraneNSWC Indian HeadHawthorneEglin AFB

Strategic plan for future improvements being evaluated

IOC scheduled for late September of 2007

120rifled mortar usmc - usa 20017

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