Baselining of the 40mm Family of Ammunition
TM
James Grassi U.S. ARMY/ARDEC 40mm Grenades Special Projects 973-724-5987 jgrassi@[Link] 30 March 2006
30 March 2006 1
Overview
Reason for 40mm Grenades Baselining Spark Range Testing Firing Tables Testing EPVAT Testing with Soft Recovery Warheads Testing System Effectiveness Modeling & Simulation
30 March 2006
Reason for 40mm Baselining
Need for testing born out of several sources
Desire to know ballistic similitude between M433 HEDP and M781 TP projectiles. Desire to know max trail angle of M433 HEDP to max possible QE of M203 for LOS/BLOS concept. Desire to study M433 impact & liner retaining ring. Desire to determine match accuracy of M203 & Mk19 sights to M433 & M430A1 trajectories, respectively. Peak pressure from M433 HEDP Firing Table for M781 TP or M406 HE
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Could not field calls for information
30 March 2006
Spark Range Testing
Spark Shadowgraph Range Testing employs orthogonal cameras placed at fixed intervals along trajectory to photograph the positional and angular orientation of the projectile.
Performed indoors with no ambient lighting. Each station provides a spark to back light the projectile.
ARL Spark Shadowgraph Range
6-DOF motion models used to reduce data.
30 March 2006
Provides aero coefficients, stability parameters and other characteristics. Parameters needed for projectile design, diagnostic studies and firing table construction.
M430 HEDP @ MACH 1.04
Spark Range Testing
Only known 40mm spark range testing performed on high velocity cartridges.
M430 HEDP
BRL-MR-3788 Aero Characteristics of 40mm Ammo for the Mk19 GMG, Robert McCoy & Andre Sowa, November 1989. Characterized M430 HEDP, M385E4 TP, M385 TP & M384 HE cartridges. M384 & M385 no longer in service M430 changed (now M430A1) M385E4 remained unchanged (now M385A1)
M385E4 TP
M385 TP
M384 HE 5
30 March 2006
Spark Range Testing
Performing Spark Range Testing at ARL and Eglin AFB Testing both Low & High Velocity projectiles
M433 HEDP (M203 GL) M781 TP (M203 GL) M430A1 HEDP (Mk19 GMG) M918 TP (Mk19 GMG) M385A1 TP (Mk19 GMG)
Using both 12 & 9 M203 GL barrels
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30 March 2006
Firing Tables Testing
Testing performed by ARDEC Firing Tables Team at Aberdeen Test Center Firing M433 HEDP & M781 TP cartridges from M203 GL (both 12 & 9 barrels). Testing to be performed:
Physical Characteristics of Ammunition Muzzle Velocity vs. Propellant Temperature Test Ballistic Match & Firing Tables Verification Test Maximum Range Aeroballistic Test Maximum Trail Quadrant Elevation Test
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30 March 2006
Firing Tables Testing
Ballistic Match & Firing Tables Verification Test
Yields firing tables for M433 HEDP & M781 TP ctgs Determines level of match of TP to HEDP Objective is to obtain aerodynamic drag data & developing range safety data Determine QE above which M433 HEDP & M781 TP will not trail Assumes maximum trail angle will be different between M433 HEDP & M781 TP
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Maximum Range Aeroballistic Test
Maximum Trail Quadrant Elevation Test
30 March 2006
EPVAT Testing with Soft Recovery
Electronic Pressure, Velocity & Action Time is scarce for 40mm Grenades
High Velocity (Mk19) P-t data exists for M169 Cartridge Case Assembly firing M430 HEDP, M385E4 TP & XM918 TP (March 1987) High Velocity Action Time taken during LAT using M129 GMG (not Mk19 GMG) Low Velocity P-t data exists for M118 Cartridge Case Assembly firing M406 HE (March 1971)
No established method for EPVAT testing during production or development
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30 March 2006
EPVAT Testing with Soft Recovery
ARDEC developed Low Velocity Mann barrel
Designed for recording P-t data from both mid-case and case-mouth positions on both long and short cartridge case assemblies Development occurred at same time as NATO Mann barrel establishment Breech Assembly for ARDEC LV Mann Barrel leverage from ARDEC High Velocity Mann Barrel
ARDEC HV Mann Barrel meant for stabilized firing and cannot be ported for pressure
LV Mann barrel fabricated and ported by Colt Defense
Planning in place to acquire an ARDEC High Velocity Mann Barrel for EPVAT
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30 March 2006
EPVAT Testing with Soft Recovery
Testing involves shooting the following cartridges at hot, cold & ambient temperatures
M433 HEDP (M118 Ctg Case) M583A1 Whitestar Parachute (M195 Ctg Case) M781 TP (M212 Ctg Case)
M118 & M212 Mid-Case Port M195 Mid-Case Port
M118
30 March 2006
M195
M212
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EPVAT Testing with Soft Recovery
Current breech assembly not instrumented for action time start signal
Using high speed digital video to capture start and stop points for action time Planning in place for an improved breech assembly and add action time sensor
ARDEC 40mm Low Velocity Mann Barrel Setup
30 March 2006
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Warheads Testing
Decades of production has resulted in minor changes which may have severely impacted lethality LATs test for perforation, but do not check fragmentation effects Speculation of poor lethality requires a definitive evaluation be performed ARDEC Warheads team performing tests on M433 HEDP & M430A1 HEDP projectiles to characterize fragmentation and penetration performance
Results translated into JMEMS format & run through CASRED CASRED output (Probability of Incapacitation) compared to data on file at AMSAA
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30 March 2006
Warheads Testing
Penetration Performance Characterization
Shaped Charge Jet Characterization
Utilize flash X-ray to capture jet formation, straightness and determine tip velocity
Tested projectiles while spinning and not spinning
Fired warheads into RHA to determine average penetration and characterize hole geometry Modeled and simulated shaped charge function
Validated by test results
X-Ray of Jet Formation
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Picture shows warhead fired from top of picture downward
30 March 2006
Warheads Testing
Fragmentation Performance Characterization
Fragment Velocity
Utilize flash X-ray to capture fragmentation for later determination of fragment velocity
Tested projectiles without spin
X-Ray of Fragmentation
Fragment Collection
Detonate test assets in sawdust filled container to capture majority of material
Typical recovery of magnetic & nonmagnetic material over 96% Fragments sorted by material type, size & mass
Fragment Recovery
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30 March 2006
System Effectiveness M&S
Model the collection of system parameters & errors in order to run them through a Monte Carlo type simulation
Output is Probability of Hit & Probability of Incapacitation given a Hit Study being applied to M433 HEDP & M430A1 HEDP Intent is to determine improvements with highest return on investment
30 March 2006
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Current Status
Spark Range Testing:
Fired M781 TP cartridges at Eglin AFB and currently reducing data. M385A1 TP projectiles fabricated, modified with spin pins by ARL and awaiting LAP. ARDEC M&S group modeled M550 Escapement Assembly (a.k.a. S&A) in ADAMS to determine CG shift during arming. Awaiting M433 HEDP and M781 TP test assets Awaiting inert M433 HEDP, inert M583A1 Whitestar Parachute and M781 TP test assets with holes drilled for pressure tapping
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Firing Tables Testing
EPVAT Testing with Soft Recovery
30 March 2006
Current Status
Warheads Testing
M433 HEDP testing complete Awaiting M430A1 HEDP test assets M433 HEDP Modeling, Simulation & Go Forward Plan complete M430A1 HEDP study awaiting results of warhead testing
System Effectiveness Modeling & Simulation
30 March 2006
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