Updated: 2022
DESCRIPTION
Medium Caliber Ammunition (MCA) includes 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, and 40 mm Armor-Piercing (AP), High-Explosive (HE), 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 handheld, crew-served, ground platform and aircraft mounted weapons.
BENEFIT TO THE SOLDIER
Standard ammunition provides the Warfighter with the necessary lethality needed to defeat the enemy. Specialty cannon caliber and 40 mm cartridges provide unique capabilities for the Warfighter (e.g., airburst, illumination).
SPECIFICATIONS
Specifications vary based on weapon platform, caliber, and target set and effect.
- 20 mm cartridge is a multipurpose tracer with self-destruct capability used in the Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System
- 25 mm Target Practice (TP), HE incendiary, and AP cartridges are fired from the M242 Bushmaster Cannon from the Bradley Fighting Vehicle
- 30×113 mm TP and HE Dual Purpose (DP) cartridges are fired from the M230 Chain Gun mounted on the Apache and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment Black Hawk 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
- 30×173 mm TP, HE incendiary, and AP cartridges are fired from the XM813 Cannon from the Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicle
PROGRAM STATUS
FY18:
- 30×173 mm Stryker Ammunition Urgent Materiel Release/Operational New Equipment Training
- 40 mm High Explosive Dual Purpose Airburst (HEDP-AB) Milestone (MS) B
- Medium Caliber Family of Ammunition Contract Award Buy #2
FY19:
- 20 mm Improved M940 Joint Urgent Operational Need Statement (JUONS) Fielding
- 30×173 mm Armor Piercing Family (XM1170 APFSDS-T, XM1172 TPDS-T) Materiel Development Decision, and Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) Contracts Award
- 30×113 mm XM1198 HEDP-self-destruct (SD) development, XM1211 High Explosive Proximity (HEP) development, and XM1206 HEDP-AB Technology Maturation Contract Award
- 40 mm High Explosive Airburst (HEAB) MS B
- 40 mm HEAB EMD Contract Award
- 40 mm HEDP-AB EMD Contract Award
FY20:
- Demonstrated 30×173 mm contact fuze setter capability with XM813 autogun and airburst munition
- 30 mm Multi-Function Munition (Airburst) Capability Development Document (CDD) Approval
- 30×173 mm Airburst and Trainer (XM1182 HEAB-T, XM1173 TP-T) MS B, and EMD Contracts Award
- Cannon-caliber and 40 mm legacy Production and Sustainment and ongoing
PROJECTED ACTIVITIES
FY21:
- 30×173 mm MK310 Programmable Airburst Munition with Tracer Fielded as an Urgent Materiel Release (UMR)
- 30×113 mm XM1198 HEDP-SD and XM950 TP UMR and JUONS Fielding
- 40 mm Low Velocity (LV) Family of Ammunition CDD
FY22:
- New multiyear 40 mm Production Contract
- 30×113 mm XM1211 High Explosive Proximity (HEP) UMR and Fielding
- 30×113 mm XM1206 HEDP-AB EMD in support of Project Manager Apache and foreign customer
- 40 mm HEDP-AB and HEAB Low Rate Initial Production Award
FY21-FY22:
- 40 mm High Velocity/Low Velocity Day Night Trainer (HV/LV DNT) Type Classification/Full Materiel Release (TC/FMR) and Full Rate Production (FRP)
FY23:
- 30×173 mm Armor Piercing Family (XM1170 APFSDS-T, XM1172 TPDS-T) MS C
- 30×173 mm Airburst and Trainer (XM1182 HEAB-T, XM1173 TP-T) MS C
- 30×173 mm Ammunition in Full Rate Production and Fielding for Stryker brigade
- 20 mm multipurpose cartridge development in support of Future Vertical Lift
FY24:
- 30×113 mm multimode proximity airburst development for ground applications in support of Air and Missile Defense
- 40 mm HEDP-AB and HEAB MS C, TC/FMR, and FRP