AMERICA’S ARMY WINNING IN A COMPLEX WORLD

ACAT III
Artillery Ammunition
PEO Ammunition | Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
WARFIGHTING
FUNCTION
Mission Command
Movement and Maneuver
Intelligence
Fires
Sustainment
Maneuver Support
and Protection
Engagement
ACQUISITION
LIFECYCLE PHASE
Materiel Solution Analysis
Technology Maturation &
Risk Reduction
Engineering & Manufacturing
Development
Production & Deployment
Operations & Support
MILESTONE DECISION
AUTHORITY
Defense Acquisition Executive
Army Acquisition Executive
Program Executive Officer
DESCRIPTION
The Army’s artillery ammunition program includes 75 mm (used for
ceremonies and simulated firing), 105 mm and 155 mm projectiles and
their associated fuses and propelling charges.
Semifixed ammunition for short and intermediate ranges, used in 105
mm Howitzers, is characterized by adjusting the number of multiple
propelling charges. Semifixed ammunition for long ranges contains
a single bag of propellant optimized for obtaining high velocity, and
is not adjustable. The primer is an integral part of the cartridge case,
and is located in the base. The 105 mm cartridges are issued in a fused
or unfused configuration. Both cartridge configurations are packaged
with propellant.
Separate-loading ammunition, used in 155 mm Howitzers, has separately
issued projectiles, fuses, propellant charges and primers. After installing
the appropriate fuse on the projectile, the fused projectile is loaded into
the cannon along with the appropriate amount of propellant charges and
a primer.
The artillery ammunition program includes fuses for cargo-carrying
projectiles, such as smoke and illumination, and bursting projectiles,
such as high explosives. This program also includes bag propellant for
the 105 mm semifixed cartridges and a modular artillery charge system
for 155 mm Howitzers.
BENEFIT TO THE WARFIGHTER
The mission of the Field Artillery is to destroy, defeat or disrupt the enemy
with integrated fires to enable maneuver commanders to dominate in
unified land operations. Cannon-artillery-delivered munitions are a vital
component of this mission.
SPECIFICATIONS
• Insensitive munitions (IM) fill is used in the following high
explosive rounds, making the inventory safer: 105 mm M1; 105 mm
M1130; 155 mm M1122; 155 mm M795
• Projectiles that utilize shell bodies obtained from 155 mm cluster
munitions that have been demilitarized, significantly lowering unit
cost: The M1122, 155 mm IM High-Explosive; M1123, 155 mm
Infrared Illumination; M1124, 155 mm Visible Light Illumination;
M110A3, 155 mm Spotting Smoke
PROGRAM STATUS
• 2QFY13: Type Classified – Standard (TC-STD) achieved for the
155 mm Joint Extended-Range Illumination Projectiles M1123 and
M1124, followed by Full Materiel Release in 3QFY14
• 3QFY13: Commenced M739A1 fuse production to incorporate
an enhanced safe-and-arm design to eliminate possibility of fuses
inadvertently shipped in an armed condition
• 1QFY14: M795 IM commenced Full-Rate Production (FRP); first
53,000 projectiles delivered to Army and Marine Corps customers
in 2QFY15
• 3QFY15: FRP of 155 mm M1122 commenced at McAlester
Army Ammunition Plant, and Crane Army Ammunition Activity
established as second source of 155 mm M1122
• FY15: Completed M82 155 mm primer design change for Paladin
Integrated Management (PIM) Program
PROJECTED ACTIVITIES
• FY16: FRP for 155 mm Joint Extended-Range Illumination
Projectiles M1123 and M1124 commences at Pine Bluff Arsenal
• 4QFY16: Produce and deliver new production M82 primers in
support of PIM Program Initial Operational Test & Evaluation
• TBD: Achieve TC-STD for Extended-Range Smoke 155 mm
M110A2E1
130
UNITED STATES ARMY