DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY AREA PLAN -- WEAPONS

DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY AREA PLAN
CHAPTER X -- WEAPONS

3.3 Guns

3.3.1 Warfighting Needs

DoD requires capabilities of improved range, penetration, and combat effectiveness of guns at lower total acquisition cost over existing systems. The Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) will replace current M16 rifles, M203 grenade launchers, night vision devices, and laser rangefinders with a single integrated system with enhanced operational capability and increased effectiveness. The OICW will deliver 3-4 times the hit probability of existing systems beyond 500 m and an all-new defilade target attack capability out to 300 m. The Objective Crew-Served Weapon (OCSW) will provide a lightweight, two-man portable, single replacement weapon systems for a current 40mm MK 19 grenade machine gun and the caliber .50 heavy machine gun. Fielding of the XM982 extended-range artillery projectile will immediately enhance the range of existing 155mm artillery and extend the range of the developmental XM297 Crusader solid-propellant cannon up to 50 km. An ETC version of the 120mm XM291 tank gun will provide 17-MJ muzzle energy and increase armor penetration over the currently fielded 120mm M256 system. Nonconventional weapons technologies will provide the field commander with a capability to tailor target effects from less-than-lethal to lethal for small caliber weapons against lightly armored materiel and personnel. Energetic materials that are 10% more powerful, yet less sensitive, will enhance explosively formed penetrator kill capability. Selective-mode warheads will be demonstrated that can defeat both a heavy armored target (10-20% increase in performance compared to Javelin) and a lightly armored target (fourfold increase in lethality as compared to a standard shaped charge). Potential transitions include STAFF and upgrades for AAAV, BFVS, CIWS, Abrams, Paladin, Crusader, and Patriot.

3.3.2 Overview

3.3.2.1 Goals and Timeframes. The goals are to develop technologies for small, medium, and large caliber guns, gun propellants, power supplies/conditioning, and fire control, with enhanced performance and compact, lightweight configurations at affordable costs. The major goals are shown in Table X-4.

3.3.2.2 Major Technical Challenges. Challenges in the guns subarea include packaging constraints for ETC technologies that provide compact, high-efficient plasma ignitors; new high-energy-density/propellant formulation, consistent repeat rate, and desirable life cycles of pulse-forming network; advanced medium-caliber composite barrel with high-efficiency rail design, compact, and affordable pulse and prime power system and ammunition handling technologies for high rate of fire; accurate laser ranging, efficient fragmentation, and systems and weight minimization for OICW; and efficient fragmentation, electronics miniaturization (for fire control and fuze), systems integration, and overall system weight for OCSW. Challenges for ERA/XM982 include the multifunctional electronic fuzing module, base burner, forward rocket motor, and cargo expulsion. Challenges for EM guns include high-strength, thick-section composites, high-current density, fast-actuating and -recovering solid-state switches, high-efficiency launchers, thermal management, and reduced mass armatures. Challenges for nonlethal tech-nology are wave propagation and antenna design for acoustics, and component size and wave propagation/generation for DE devices.

There are several industry R&D coalition concerns:

Detailed, validated, interior ballistics models support the 50% muzzle energy increase claimed. The 10% armor penetration increase is predicted by similarly validated terminal ballistics models. Note that the 50% muzzle energy increase (to 17 MJ) equals the muzzle energy of the 120mm penetrator that has simulated armor in field tests.
Study has reconfirmed the value of electric gun development, and additional technology demonstrations can be accomplished at relatively low cost.
The uniform ignition of disk propellant is a critical mechanism of the solid-propellant electrothermal-chemical (ETC) program. An equally important mechanism is temperature compensation (achievable by ETC only). ETC will force cold propellant charges to perform as hot charges, thereby achieving peak pressures near the limits of the gun. A concept under investigation would give "always hot" performance at a fraction of the electric input of current, plasma-injector methods. This would further reduce the volume and mass of the pulse power supply. Another component of ETC is the reduction in ignition delay and predictability of the delay. Both have been demonstrated in scaled experiments with single initiators. The experiments must be demonstrated at full scale and with multiple injectors, if they are needed in the final design.
The cannon caliber EM gun demonstration referred to is indeed a demonstration. The prototype system has already been built. The critical components (pulse power supply, launcher, and integrated launch package) have been independently demonstrated at near their design performance points. The complete end-to-end system remains to be demonstrated.

Table X-4. Guns Subarea Goals and Timeframes

Application/Mission Short Term
(1-2 Years) Mid Term
(3-5 Years) Long Term
(6+ Years)

Objective individual and crew-served weapons Demo OICW system prototype, 12 lb, Ph = 0.5 @500 m, 0.3 @ 1,000 m; probability of incapacitation 0.2 against defilade target at 300 m. Demo OCSW prototype weighing less than 38 lb that can defeat defilade targets and 51mm RHA. Demo OICW and OCSW in Battle Lab experiments.
Tank lethality enhancements Demo 120mm KE cartridge defeat of 2005 ERA projected threat with 50% increase in lethality over the M829A2. Demo 30% increase in system accuracy under stationary conditions over M829A2/M1A2.
Demo 300% increase in hit probability at 3 km over M1A2 under dynamic conditions.

Nonlethal weapons for operations in a full-spectrum conflict (e.g., crowd control) Demo nonpenetrating AP blunt impact munitions launched from platforms (M16A2, 40mm M203GL, 12-gauge shotguns, etc.) for both point target and crowds at 10-50-m range. Demo an EM pulse vehicle stopper. Demo advanced nonlethal concepts.

Demo DE device over delay/denial. Complete acoustic device health and safety assessment. Demo mobile DE device.

Direct-fire lethality, range, system per-formance enhancement alternatives for future combat vehicles Demo medium-caliber EM gun technologies for amphibious land vehicles with 0.3-MJ muzzle energy, 3-salvo, 5 rd/salvo, 300 rd/min and penetration effectiveness at 1,000 m Demo prototype medium-caliber EM gun system concepts for potential future insertion opportunities.

Demo medium caliber bursting munition.

Improve indirect fire capabilities for artillery and mortars Demo extended-range artillery projectile (ERA/ XM982) capable of immediately enhancing the range of existing 155mm weapons and extending the range of the developmental 155mm howitzer system to 50 km. Demo 155mm lightweight automatic howitzer with 25% more rapid emplacement and 50% higher rate of fire.

Demo precision-guided mortar munition with first round point/armor target effectiveness at 15 km.

System performance enhancement for Abrams PIPs and the FCS Demo 14-MJ muzzle energy in 120mm M256. Demo 17-MJ kinetic energy at muzzle in 120mm XM291. Transition ETC or EM technology for PIPs or FCS applications.

Demo 1.5 J/g specific energy in pulsed-power system. Demo hypervelocity launchers with 100-rd life.

System performance enhancement for naval surface combatants Demo medium-caliber resin/carbon fiber composite barrels with 50% increased MTBF for future naval gun system. Demo ETC technologies capable of 22-MJ muzzle energies with a 5-in gun system. Transition ETC technologies for PIP or naval surface combatants.

Application/Mission	Short Term (1-2 Years)	Mid Term (3-5 Years)	Long Term (6+ Years)
Objective individual and crew-served weapons	Demo OICW system prototype, 12 lb, Ph = 0.5 @500 m, 0.3 @ 1,000 m; probability of incapacitation 0.2 against defilade target at 300 m.	Demo OCSW prototype weighing less than 38 lb that can defeat defilade targets and 51mm RHA.	Demo OICW and OCSW in Battle Lab experiments.
Tank lethality enhancements	Demo 120mm KE cartridge defeat of 2005 ERA projected threat with 50% increase in lethality over the M829A2.	Demo 30% increase in system accuracy under stationary conditions over M829A2/M1A2. Demo 300% increase in hit probability at 3 km over M1A2 under dynamic conditions.
Nonlethal weapons for operations in a full-spectrum conflict (e.g., crowd control)	Demo nonpenetrating AP blunt impact munitions launched from platforms (M16A2, 40mm M203GL, 12-gauge shotguns, etc.) for both point target and crowds at 10-50-m range.	Demo an EM pulse vehicle stopper.	Demo advanced nonlethal concepts.
Demo DE device over delay/denial.	Complete acoustic device health and safety assessment.	Demo mobile DE device.
Direct-fire lethality, range, system per-formance enhancement alternatives for future combat vehicles	Demo medium-caliber EM gun technologies for amphibious land vehicles with 0.3-MJ muzzle energy, 3-salvo, 5 rd/salvo, 300 rd/min and penetration effectiveness at 1,000 m	Demo prototype medium-caliber EM gun system concepts for potential future insertion opportunities.
	Demo medium caliber bursting munition.
Improve indirect fire capabilities for artillery and mortars	Demo extended-range artillery projectile (ERA/ XM982) capable of immediately enhancing the range of existing 155mm weapons and extending the range of the developmental 155mm howitzer system to 50 km.	Demo 155mm lightweight automatic howitzer with 25% more rapid emplacement and 50% higher rate of fire.
	Demo precision-guided mortar munition with first round point/armor target effectiveness at 15 km.
System performance enhancement for Abrams PIPs and the FCS	Demo 14-MJ muzzle energy in 120mm M256.	Demo 17-MJ kinetic energy at muzzle in 120mm XM291.	Transition ETC or EM technology for PIPs or FCS applications.
Demo 1.5 J/g specific energy in pulsed-power system.	Demo hypervelocity launchers with 100-rd life.
System performance enhancement for naval surface combatants	Demo medium-caliber resin/carbon fiber composite barrels with 50% increased MTBF for future naval gun system.	Demo ETC technologies capable of 22-MJ muzzle energies with a 5-in gun system.	Transition ETC technologies for PIP or naval surface combatants.

3.3.2.3 Related Federal and Private Sector Efforts. Commercial advances in metallurgy, energetic materials, power supply and conditioning, aerodynamics, advances in composite materials (needed for rotating machine pulse power supplies), computational mechanics, and related technologies support gun technology efforts. These efforts are closely integrated with all DoD in-house efforts.

3.3.3 S&T Investment Strategy

3.3.3.1 Technology Demonstrations. Gun technology demonstrations include the following in support of DTOs:

Direct Fire Lethality (WE.18.02)
ETC and EM Armaments for Direct Fire (WE.33.02)
Objective Crew-Served Weapon TD (WE.34.02)
Lightweight Automated 155mm Howitzer. Demonstrate technologies as part of the killers in the RFPI ACTD
Non-Lethal Weapons Technical Demonstration (E.04)

Additional technology demonstrations include:

Cannon Caliber EM Gun, to demonstrate a prototype medium-caliber EM launcher system to defeat light armor or hard targets at 1,000-m ranges using existing prototype subsystem hardware.
Army/DNA Joint Program, to demonstrate 140mm lethality from a 120mm ETC system (XM291 cannon and pulsed power) in a configuration compatible with the M1A2.
Navy/DNA Joint Program for Future Naval Surface Combatants, to demonstrate ETC technologies capable of 22-MJ energies with a 5-inch gun system.

3.3.3.2 Technology Development. Technology development efforts support demonstrations described above; they lay the foundation for demonstration and address longer term military applications. Major task areas are:

Small caliber systems to develop technologies for future individual and crew-served small arms weapon/munitions systems yielding enhanced effectiveness and sustainability.

Medium caliber systems to provide "modified NDI" technology options, with concept analysis and component/subsystem experiments in the areas of reduced dispersion guns, enhanced bursting and KE ammunition, turret stabilization, and associated fire control for near-/mid-term platform programs.

Large caliber systems to develop guided mortar munitions, extended-range and extended-accuracy artillery projectiles, ETC and EM tank guns, low-cost munitions, and increased smart submunitions.

Future generic gun technologies to provide variable-level target effects and weapons-related technologies that are caliber independent.

3.3.3.3 Basic Research. Research in mathematics, chemistry, physics, computer science, materials science, electronics, and mechanics all support critical technology requirements for future armament systems. Focused research in the penetration physics of hypervelocity projectiles and research in high-energy density power supplies support future electric gun requirements. These basic research studies provide an essential foundation for the gun system technology required to defeat future threats and ensure that our forces can maintain a technological edge.

DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY AREA PLAN CHAPTER X -- WEAPONS

DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY AREA PLAN
CHAPTER X -- WEAPONS