AMERICA’S ARMY WINNING IN A COMPLEX WORLD

ACAT III
Medium Caliber Ammunition (MCA)
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
Medium Caliber Ammunition (MCA) includes 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm,
and 40 mm armor-piercing, high-explosive, smoke, illumination, training
and antipersonnel cartridges with the capability to defeat light armor,
materiel and personnel targets. These munitions provide overwhelming
lethality in MCA and point- and area-target engagement via medium
hand-held and crew-served weapons.
BENEFIT TO THE WARFIGHTER
Standard ammunition provides the warfighter with the necessary
lethality needed to defeat the enemy. Specialty 40 mm rounds provide
specific tools for the warfighter (e.g. illumination). The Counter-Rocket,
Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) defends against enemy rocket, mortar
and artillery fires.
SPECIFICATIONS
Various specifications used are dependent on weapon platform, caliber
and target set and effect.
• 20 mm cartridge is a multipurpose tracer with self-destruct, used in
the C-RAM weapon system
• 25 mm target practice (TP), high-explosive incendiary and armorpiercing
cartridges are fired from the M242 Bushmaster Cannon
from the Bradley Fighting Vehicle
• 30 mm TP and High Explosive-Dual Purpose (HEDP) cartridges
are fired from the M230 chain gun mounted on the Apache and
Blackhawk helicopters
• Varieties of 40 mm TP, HEDP and specialty cartridges are designed
for use in the M203 Grenade Launcher, M320 Grenade Launcher
and the MK19 Grenade Machine Gun
PROGRAM STATUS
• Current: Production and sustainment
PROJECTED ACTIVITIES
• FY16:
››
Cannon-caliber and 40 mm legacy production and sustainment
››
New multiyear 40 mm production contract
››
Develop 40 mm day, night and thermal cartridges
››
Qualify 30 mm ammunition for Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicle
2nd Cavalry Regiment lethality upgrade
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UNITED STATES ARMY