ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md – The U.S. Army’s Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM MAS), located on Picatinny Arsenal, recently traveled to the Aberdeen Proving Ground on September 5, 2024, to successfully test the XM1204 High Explosive Airburst with Tracer (HEAB-T) prototype.

Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A), observed the test at the Aberdeen, accompanied by key personnel from PM MAS, including Deputy Project Manager Bob Kowalski, Assistant Product Manager for Large Caliber Ammunition Maj. A.J. Scocco, and the team lead for the 50mm program KC Koseoglu.

The 50mm XM1204 HEAB-T is one of three cartridges within the 50mm x 228 family of ammunition, tailored to provide an anti-personnel tactical solution. The munition is designed to defeat personnel both in open spaces and behind the cover of urban structures. The munition has the ability to function in point detonate, point detonate delay, and airburst.

The XM1204 HEAB-T, coupled with the XM913 main gun, is set to provide decisive overmatch for the Army’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle imitative, the XM30 Combat Vehicle. This adaptability makes it a vital component of the lethality suite for the XM30 Combat Vehicle.

According to Scocco, the purpose of the testing was to evaluate the performance of the munition’s electro-mechanical programmable multi mode fuze. “The XM1204 HEAB-T is a significant lethality upgrade for our warfighter, and we’re on track to meet cost, schedule, and performance requirements for the XM30 Combat Vehicle,” he said.

Five Bradley Master Gunner-qualified Soldiers participated in a second round of testing focused on burst-point accuracy of the XM1204 HEAB-T at Aberdeen Proving Ground on September 11, 2024. These Soldiers, representing First Army, the Maneuver Center of Excellence, the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross- Functional Team, and the U.S. Army Maneuver Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate, evaluated the ammunition’s performance and provided critical user feedback.

The exercise aimed to inform both the requirements for the XM1204 HEAB-T and the wider user community about the capabilities of the 50mm ammunition, including its pairing with the XM913 50mm main gun. The XM913 is the primary armaments for the XM30 Combat Vehicle and is a critical part of the Army’s modernization strategy.

“The recent XM1204 HEAB-T test is a clear demonstration of PM MAS delivering on Army modernization priorities and delivering a new level of lethality to the battlefield,” said Reim. “The lethality and flexibility of this round, paired with the XM30 platform, will give our Warfighters the tools they need to maintain overmatch on the battlefield, and I look forward to seeing this round fielded.”

By ABRAAM DAWOUD

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. — The U.S. Army’s Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A) and U.S. Army Contracting Command – New Jersey (ACC-NJ) awarded several contracts worth more than $961 million to enhance the production of critical 155mm artillery components. These awards are set to increase production capacity significantly and provide the joint warfighter with a new “go-to” war round, ensuring that the Army’s artillery capabilities remain safe, reliable, plentiful and lethal.

The contracts cover the procurement of 500,000 M119A2 Propellant Charges, supports load, assemble, and pack (LAP) of 260,000 M231 Modular Artillery Charge System (MACS) and 2.2 million M232A2 MACS. MACS are the primary propelling charge system in all currently fielded 155mm howitzer systems. The contracts also cover the LAP of 16,900 of the Army’s newest “go-to” war round–the M1128 High Explosive (HE) projectile. This new projectile will provide U.S. artillery with extended-range capabilities and will give brigade combat teams the ability to deliver near-precision fires at distances of up to 30 kilometers without relying on exquisite munitions.

In addition to contracts supporting the LAP of munitions, another contract was awarded to expand the production capacity of High Fragmentation Steel (HF-1). This specially engineered alloy, used in large-caliber munitions such as the 155mm M795 and the M1128, is critical to meeting increased production demand and will enable the Army to achieve its goal of producing 100,000 artillery shots per month by fiscal year 2026.

“In alignment with the Department of Defense’s National Defense Industrial Strategy, we have invested more than $4.2 billion to expand and modernize the organic industrial base,” said Douglas R. Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. “This collaborative effort between the Army and industry establishes a credible deterrent against potential adversaries, underscoring the Army’s commitment to fight and win the Nation’s wars.”

The contracts were awarded by ACC-NJ to domestic companies in Arkansas (General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS)), Ohio (Metallus), Iowa (American Ordnance), Illinois (GD-OTS) and Florida (Nammo Inc.).

As the Army continues to invest in its organic industrial base, new facilities will be coming online, according to Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, the Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition, who is leading the modernization and ramp-up of 155mm munition production.

“This rapid increase in production is part of a broader effort to support U.S. munitions replenishment activities and support international partners, such as Ukraine, which has relied heavily on artillery in its defense against Russian forces,” said Reim. “As geopolitical challenges continue to evolve, the U.S. Army’s focus on transformation and expansion ensures that our Joint Warfighters and international partners maintain overmatch and have the resources they need to succeed on the battlefield.”

By year’s end, the U.S. Army is set to commission three new domestic facilities in support of 155mm production and a new metal parts production facility in Canada.

By Abraam Dawoud