Lightweight Small Arms Technologies

33 Pages·2006·1.57 MB·English

Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
National Defense Industrial Association
Joint Services Small Arms Systems
Annual Symposium
May 2006
Ms. Kori Spiegel Mr. Paul Shipley
US Army ARDEC AAI Corporation
[phone] [phone]
[email protected] [email protected]
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NDIA Small Arms
May 2006
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Top 5 Soldier Weight Contributors
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
For Automatic Rifleman:
1. M249 Squad Automatic Weapon w/200 rds Ammo
2. 5.56mm Ammunition (400 rounds)
3. Body Armor & Helmet
4. Communication Equipment
5. Canteen/Water
JSSAST
May 2006
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Goals
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
Goals:
• 35% weapon weight reduction
• 40% ammunition weight reduction
• Reduced training & maintenance
• Maintain cost of current systems
Approach:
• “Clean Slate” design
• Reduced weight as the priority
• In depth trade studies
• Extensive modeling & simulation
NDIA Small Arms
May 2006
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Program Approach
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
Light Machine Gun 5.56mm Telescoped
Ammunition
Demonstrator
• Focus is development of technologies-
not specific weapon system
• Demo via Light Machine Gun with
• Achieve 50% overall weight reduction
5.56mm ammunition
• Pursue parallel Cased Telescoped and
• In parallel, Company Machine Gun
Caseless Ammunition design approaches
study to determine feasibility of single
• High commonality of design and function, some weapon with a single round of
action component differences ammunition for both LMG and MMG
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NDIA Small Arms
May 2006
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Comparative Weights
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
NDIA Small Arms
May 2006
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Concurrent & Leveraging Activities
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
(cid:51)
In-Work
TRL 5 TRL 6
Develop & Test
Optimize
Baseline Ctg
Cartridge
CT Mann Barrel
In-Work
(cid:51) (cid:51)
Integrate and Test CTA Weapon
Fabricate Action Test Action
Update Design
(cid:51)
Lubricious Coatings
Analysis & Tests
Controllability Spiral Development Approach
Tests Down
System
In-Work • Each spiraSle lreecpt troesents
Single
successiveCloyn cheipgther system
High Temp Weapon Barrel Tests
Materials integration levels
Analysis & Tests
• Exit criteria- Subsystem
In-Work
(cid:51) maturity sufficient for
Develop & Test integration in next spiral
Optimize
HITP Propellant Baseline Ctg
Cartridge
Characterization Mann Barrel • Spiral duration varies per
CL Integrate CL Weapon
(cid:51) In-Work subsystem
Chamber Seal Fabricate Action Test Action
Test & Evaluation
Spiral 1 Spiral 2 Spiral 3 Spiral 4
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NDIA Small Arms
May 2006
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
AAI Contractor Team Members
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
System Integrator
IPT Leads
Caseless Weapon Action
Integrated Weapon
Propellant for cased telescoped ammo
Caseless ammunition (H&K/DN)
Study application of LOVA propellant for
caseless ammunition Cased telescoped ammo LAP
“Green” ammunition concepts
Related Activities
Phase II- Add
• ARDEC In-House Caseless Ammunition program (H&K/DN)
JHU /APL Veritay MSC PTI Weapon ProduceTBrD
• ARL cartridge case and barrel material programs
Caseless Interior Thermal Testing Weapon Kinematic Polymer Materials Weapon
• JSSAP BAA Component Contracts
Ballistics Analysis and Analyses Modeling and Fabrication Producer
• AAI Caseless Ammunition IR&D Program
– CRADA with ARDEC-H&K/DN Propellant characterization
– Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab-Modeling
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NDIA Small Arms
May 2006
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Integrated Product Team Organization
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
LMGA Executive Council
Program
Management
IPT
System Engineering
Integration & Test Weapon IPT Ammunition IPT Supportability IPT
(SEIT) IPT
SE Mgt Working Group CL Ammo Working
HSI Working Group
Group
Materials Working Group ILS Working Group
Training Working
Group
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NDIA Small Arms
May 2006
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Weapon Design and Performance Features
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
Key technologies
Muzzle Compensator Rotating Chamber provides
• Use of telescoped ammo- (Option) In-line push thru feed/eject
cased and caseless Folding Front Sight
Top mounted flip
open feed tray
• Lightweight materials & Both M855 ball and M856 Vented
tracer bullets provide Foregrip Detachable Back up
structural configuration lethality equivalent to M249 Iron Rear Sight
• Thermal management for Long stroke, soft recoil
Fluted, Quick Change Barrel Improves controllability
weight reduction
High stiffness and heat capacity
–Barrel No tools for barrel change
Rounds Counter
–Caseless chamber improves maintainability
components Structural attachment points for
mounting rails provided on both
• Caseless chamber sealing sides and top offoregrip
Multiple Sling
attach points for
• Human factors- firing
mission tailoring
Full Loop
controllability Polymer Links
• Integration of electronics Semi or Full
Auto Fire @
100 Round Ammo 600 rd/min
Both cased telescoped Soft Pouch (150 for
and caseless configurations Caseless)
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NDIA Small Arms
May 2006
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies
Ammunition Design Features
Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT)
Key Technologies
• Telescoped cartridge
• Cased Ammunition
– Polymer cartridge case
and endcap
– Compacted propellant
(tracer rd)
• Caseless Ammunition
– High Ignition
Temperature Propellant
M855 LSAT CT LSAT CL
– Booster assisted interior
Weight 600 linked pkg'd rnds 20.8 lbs
14.0 lbs 10.2 lbs ballistics
33% reduction 51% reduction
• Demonstrate in 5.56mm
Muzzle velocity (78 ft) 3,020 ft/sec 3,020 ft/sec 3,020 ft/sec
– Address producibility
Length 2.25 inches 1.6 inches 1.6 inches
– Consider scalability
Diameter 0.38 inches 0.45 inches 0.35 inches
Primer Percussion Percussion Percussion
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NDIA Small Arms
May 2006