Export Ambitions MECAR Develops New Ammunition Range

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SPECIAL REPORT, Belgium

Date Posted: 11-Jan-2016

Jane's International Defence Review

Export ambitions: MECAR develops newammunition range

Key Points MECAR invests in the design, development, and production of a wide range of ammunitionwith the main emphasis on medium-calibre ammunition MECAR is now one of the three elements of the recently established Nexter AmmunitionBusiness Group

Christopher F FossLondon

Belgium's MECAR SA - now part of the Nexter Ammunition Business Group - is expanding itsrange of medium-calibre ammunition aimed at the export market and is also focusing on thedevelopment of 90 mm and 105 mm ammunition for light armoured vehicles (LAV) and main battletanks (MBT).

CMI Defence Cockerill 90 mm Mk 8 rifled gun system, which is used for ammunition developmentand qualification. (Christopher F Foss)

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Development of the MECAR 30 mm armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot - tracer(APFSDS-T) M928 round is complete for the aluminium cartridge case version and the steel

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variant is set to follow in 2016.

The 30 mm APFSDS-T round is intended for Orbital ATK Armament Systems' 30 mm Mk44 andMauser's 30 mm MK30-2 dual-feed cannon. Of the two versions the aluminium cartridge case typeis destined for Orbital's Mk44 and has a total weight of 530 g and a muzzle velocity of 1,400 m/s.

The steel cartridge will be employed by the Mauser MK30-2, and has a total weight of 695 g and amuzzle velocity of 1,420 m/s.

Both of these 30 mm APFSDS-T M928 rounds have a tracer that lasts for 2.5 seconds and theyare fitted with a long rod tungsten alloy penetrator that is cobalt free and can penetrate 55 mm ofrolled homogenous armour (RHA) at 60° obliquity.

To improve the firepower of the Russian-developed BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle - which is inservice in more than 30 countries - MECAR has also almost completed work on a new 30 mmAPFSDS-T round designated the M929.

25 mm APFSDS-T projectile in flight with three-part sabot falling away. (MECAR)1642503

This will equip the BMP-2 30 mm 2A42 dual-feed cannon and uses the penetrator and propellantfrom the MECAR APFSDS-T 30 mm M928, but as it has a shorter cartridge case and carries lesspropellant its muzzle velocity is reduced to 1,275 m/s.

According to MECAR the M929 will penetrate 45 mm of RHA at 60° obliquity. Development will becompleted in 2016 and a number of potential export customers have already been identified.

These latest MECAR medium-calibre APFSDS-T rounds leverage technology from the MECAR 25mm M935A2 APFSDS-T round, which can be fired from the Orbital ATK Armament SystemsM242, Nexter Systems' M811, and Rheinmetall Air Defence Oerlikon's KBA cannon.

Some 2 million of these 25 mm APFSDS-T rounds have been manufactured for the export market,with the largest customer being the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) for its GeneralDynamics Land Systems - Canada LAV-25 8x8 vehicles, although this has not been confirmed byMECAR.

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The MECAR 30 mm M929 APFSDS-T round is for use with the Russian 30 mm 2A42 dual-feedcannon installed in a number of platforms including the Russian BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle.(Christopher F Foss)

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MECAR manufactures a number of 90 mm and 105 mm types of fixed ammunition that currentlyuse a conventional brass cartridge case. In the future these will be offered with a semi-combustiblecartridge case (CCC) and all that will remain after firing is the stub of the cartridge case. Accordingto Christophe Soleil, director of research and development at MECAR "Qualification of 90 mm Mk8 gun system rounds with a semi-CCC will be completed in 2016 and will be followed by semi-CCC for 105 mm rounds."

This combustible cartridge case is being developed in conjunction with EURENCO (EURopeanENergetics Corporation), which has considerable experience in the design, development, andproduction of combustible cartridge cases for 120 mm tank ammunition and 155 mm modularcharge systems (MCS).

In addition to manufacturing 90 mm ammunition for the CMI Defence 90 mm Cockerill Mk III (andits Brazilian equivalent the ENGESA EC-90) and higher pressure Mk 8 weapons, MECAR is alsomanufacturing 90 mm ammunition for Nexter's 90 mm CN 90 F1 (DEFA), F3 and F4 guns.

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Current production MECAR 90 mm and 105 mm rounds use a brass cartridge case (right) but inthe future these will be offered with a semi-combustible cartridge case (left). (Christopher F Foss)

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MECAR will also offer its ammunition with insensitive munition (IM) propellant and explosives asan increasing number of customers are requesting this for safety reasons, especially whenammunition is on board ships.

For mortar bomb IM, explosive melt solutions are seen as the way ahead, while for HEP (high-explosive plastic) and HEAT (high-explosive anti-tank) rounds, pressed solutions are preferred anddevelopment of these is expected in 2016.

For use with the Russian T-54/T-55 MBT and its Chinese equivalent the Type 59, MECARdeveloped the 100 mm M1000A1 APFSDS-T round, which has been sold in production quantities.

They have also developed and placed in production a 115 mm APFSDS-T round designated theM1150 for use with the 115 mm U-5TS (2A20) gun installed in the Russian T-62 MBT. This has anunusual brass cartridge case and a muzzle velocity of 1,635 m/s, and can penetrate 500 mm ofRHA at 60° obliquity at a range of 2,000 m.

Although unconfirmed by MECAR, this 115 mm M1150 round was developed for the Egyptianmilitary, which operates a large fleet of Russian T-62 MBTs.

According to Simon Haye, managing director of MECAR, "We are also looking at the potential fora new 120 mm APFSDS-T round for use with rifled tank guns, with India being a potentialcustomer."

Following a competition, MECAR was selected as the major contractor for the 105 mm HighExplosive Plastic - Tracer (HEP-T) for the US Army Stryker M1128 Mobile Gun System (MGS),with L-3 as the prime contractor.

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The 105 mm High Explosive Plastic - Tracer round M935A2 is in service with the US Army andoptimised for bunker busting. This photograph shows the effect of this projectile against areinforced concrete wall. (MECAR)

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Under this contract MECAR carried out design work as well as Load, Assembly, and Pack (LAP)for the M393A3 HEP-T and its associated training round fired from the 105 mm M68A2 rifled gun.

The M393A3 HEP-T has seen combat use by the US Army and has a muzzle velocity of 731 m/s.It is designed to demolish bunkers and penetrate reinforced concrete walls that are likely to beencountered during operations in urban areas.

MECAR are now working on further developments of HEP-T rounds, or High Explosive SquashHead (HESH) as they are referred to in the United Kingdom, and these developments includeremotely programmable fuzes, programmable effects, and IM warheads.

As its range in Belgium cannot be used at present, MECAR has the use of a Portuguese Air Forcerange near Lisbon, which it leases for 100 to 120 days a year. This features a full suite ofequipment for measuring muzzle velocity, projectile flight, and accuracy, among others.

Further involvement with the SANG has seen MECAR supply the ammunition for use with theservice's UK Royal Ordnance 120 mm Armoured Mortar System (AMS), of which 73 were suppliedto SANG through General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada. All marketing of the 120 mm AMShas now ceased, however.

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Some 36 Patria 120 mm NEMO (New Mortar) turreted systems form part of a follow-on order foran additional 724 8x8 LAVs for the SANG, and MECAR is supplying ammunition for this weaponsystem.

The company has also supplied 120 mm mortar ammunition for the special version of the 120 mmNEMO turreted mortar that has been developed to meet the requirements of the United ArabEmirates Navy.

One of the more recent MECAR 120 mm mortar developments is a Smoke (Red Phosphorous)and IM-compliant 120 mm mortar round now being developed by the company.

New materials under active consideration by MECAR include injectable composite/magnesiumalloys for projectile components and Nano technology for explosives.

COMMENTIn addition to MECAR SA, the Nexter Ammunition Business Group includes Nexter Munitions ofFrance and Italy-based Simmel Difesa, which makes the company one of the largestmanufacturers of all types of ammunition in Europe.MECAR exports to more than 35 countries and international business typically accounts for morethan 95% of sales, so spending on research and development is crucial to the long-term future ofthe business.The sharing of technical knowledge between the companies is expected to offer a number ofadvantages including reduced costs and more rapid development time scales.

Export Ambitions MECAR Develops New Ammunition Range

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