ADAPTING EXPERIMENTATION AND TESTING
is a point detonating round that requires a direct hit, which is quite challenging on a three-dimensionally maneuvering small UAS target at range.
To provide a more effective cartridge to defeat small UAS, PdM MC developed the next iteration of counter ammunition, the XM1211 High Explosive Proximity (HEP). In the XM1211, a proximity sensor is incorporated into the fuze while retaining the self-destruct capability. Rather than requiring a direct hit, the XM1211 just needs to get close enough for the proximity sensor to detect the target, at which point it airbursts, sending lethal fragmentation to defeat the drone. In testing, the XM1211 was demonstrated to be significantly more effective against small UAS than the XM1198, requiring fewer rounds to defeat a target. Te XM1198 and XM1211 were rapidly developed and issued to select units under an urgent materiel release in fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2022 and are in limited production.
Realizing the need to retain a ground-to-ground force protec- tion capability, the Air and Missile Defense Cross-Functional Team wrote a requirement for a single 30 mm cartridge that could rapidly transition between air and ground targets. Lever- aging the proximity fuze work from the XM1211, DEVCOM AC designed a programmable proximity cartridge along with a contact fuze setter, the XM1223 Multi-Mode Proximity Airburst (MMPA), a fiscal year 2024 new-start program that achieved Technology Readiness Level 6—a system model or prototype demonstrated in a relevant environment—in technology matu- ration. Te XM1223 combines the anti-armor capability of XM1198 HEDP-SD with the proximity airburst capability of the XM1211 HEP, along with a few new features. Te XM1223 MMPA leverages a contact fuze setter integrated into the XM914 chain gun that sends a programming message when the round is cycled into the weapon. XM1223 can be programmed in the following modes:
• Point detonate for lightly armored targets.
• Proximity airburst for small UAS or personnel in the open.
• Proximity airburst delay for troops in a protected position.
• Self-destruct range, customizable per engagement.
• Gated mode, which is designed to minimize collateral damage in cluttered urban environments by telling the proximity sensor to ignore ground clutter en route to the programmed target distance, so that it does not airburst prematurely.
Te government development and owned technology in prox- imity and programmable fuzing is being explored to proliferate into different calibers—including an electrically primed version of the XM1211 HEP for the Apache helicopter, a programma- ble proximity airburst 40 mm cartridge for the Mk-19 Grenade Machine Gun, and a 25 mm proximity airburst cartridge to provide Bradley Fighting Vehicles an organic counter-UAS capa- bility. Te success of the 30 mm counter-UAS munitions has generated strong enthusiasm for quickly incorporating the prox- imity technology across the medium caliber portfolio. Tough each individual munition caliber presents its own challenges, it is important to note that the proven C-UAS proximity technol- ogy is government owned, which allows the program office the opportunity to leverage and share its technical data package with industry partners to help reduce technical risks.
Small UAS are widely available, cheap to buy and easy to weaponize, with an almost endless supply to employ behind enemy lines.
THE REQUIREMENT FOR PRODUCTION PROFICIENCY Tere are still considerable challenges to overcome to provide these capabilities at scale. It’s important to note that this ammu- nition does nothing on its own. Ammunition is always tied to a weapon, or in most instances for medium caliber, a platform. Tere is a precedence to focus on platforms to provide capabil- ity, and ammunition is often left without the proper resources to develop or integrate into platforms. Tis results in disjointed capabilities and forces ammunition product offices to get creative through reallocation of resources in the year of execution to catch up to the platform.
All too often, ammunition development is overlooked and gets lumped in with the broader system development without giving
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