Insensitive Propulsion Systems for
Large Caliber Ammunition
Beat Vogelsanger, Alexander Huber,
and Heinz Jaskolka
© NITROCHEMIE 2007
NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
Contents
Introduction
Results of IM-Testing for
155 mm Modular Charge System
with R-Type Propellant
120 mm APFSDS-T Cartridge DM63
with SCDB® Propellant
120 mm HE and TP-T Cartridges
with I- / R-Type Propellants
Conclusions
2007 IM Conference _ Pres Vogelsanger.ppt Vob/Hu/Jk © NITROCHEMIE 2007 2
NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
Introduction – Overview Gun Propellant Types
1200
Double Base SCDB L1
DEGN/(NG) JA2
120 mm
1150 Rowanite I5420
310 / 316
Mortars
M9
R2 M8
M30
Tank Guns
Triple Base M17
Force [J/g]
1100
105 mm
NQ
Double Base NG
R5730
MCS
M2
Small and Medium Caliber
1050
M31 M5
M15
Artillery
TP
1000 N04
M10
Single Base
IMR
950
M14
M6
900 M1
2400 2600 2800 3000 3200 3400 3600 3800 4000
Flame Temperature [K]
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
Introduction – NITROCHEMIE's Solvent-Less Gun Propellants
1200
Double Base SCDB L1 L1 / SCDB®
DEGN/(NG) JA2 120 mm APFSDS-T
1150 I5420
R2
Triple Base
Force [J/g]
1100
R5730
MCS I-Type / R2 / JA2
1050
120 mm HE / MP / TP
105 mm APFSDS-T
1000
R5730-Type
155 mm MCS
950
900
2400 2600 2800 3000 3200 3400 3600 3800 4000
Flame Temperature [K]
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
A) 155 mm MCS DM72 / DM92
155 mm Modular Charge System DM 72 / DM 92
with R5730 / R5733 Propellant
(Solvent-Less Triple Base Propellant with RDX)
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
A) 155 mm MCS DM72 / DM92 – Advantages
Fully compliant with JBMoU (incl. v0 = 945 ms
at 21°C without exceeding 375 MPa at 63°C)
Increased range to > 40 km (Base Bleed Ammo)
Usability in all NATO standard weapon and ammo
configurations (e.g. 39 and 52 barrel), up to 71°C
MCS DM92 is even qualified for C2-A1 climatic zones
(-52°C to +71°C) within ERO-ESCP
Low gun barrel wear; barrel life > 2'500 rounds EFC (at 21°C)
Bi-modular charge design for highest possible stow
capacity, improved logistics, low price
IM / LOVA requirements met (modules in packaging) Introduced:
• Germany
Low toxicity (lead-free charge, no DNT) • Norway
• Italy
Well proven system; qualified and in series • Greece
production since 1996; introduced in 5 NATO • Netherlands
countries; > 1.5 million modules produced and
In Qualification:
fielded so far • France
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
Tests performed
A) 155 mm MCS DM72 / DM92 – IM Test Results by Rheinmetall
Bullet Impact BI (STANAG 4241)
Ö Reaction Type V
(Rupture of lid, ejection of propellant and combustible
cartridge case ccc material, partly burning)
Shaped Charge Jet Impact SCJI (STANAG 4526)
Ö Reaction Type IV (RPG7) – V (Bomblet M77)
(Rupture of packaging, non-violent pressure release,
burning and ejection of propellant and ccc material)
Liquid Fuel Fire / Fast Cook-Off FH (STANAG 4240)
Ö Reaction Type V
(Rupture of lid, ejection of propellant and ccc material,
partly burning)
Slow Cook-Off Test SH (STANAG 4382)
Ö Reaction Type V
(Burning of propellant and ccc material, ejection of lid,
separation of container into 4 parts, no parts beyond 10 m,
no fragmentation, blast effect <40 mbar at 5m)
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
A) 155 mm MCS DM72 / DM92 – Sympathetic Reaction Test
RPG7 MCS DM92 in original
packaging (5 MCS per unit)
RPG7 Shaped Charge Jet Impact (STANAG 4526)
Type IV Reaction (Deflagration of Donor)
Sympathetic Reaction (STANAG 4396)
No Reaction
All four MCS acceptors recovered intact within
a radius of 5 m – no ignition / no burning
Acceptor A1 mechanically damaged (dented)
Other acceptors even mechanically undamaged
Same Test with conventional artillery propellant
→ Type I Reaction (Detonation) of Donor
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
A) 155 mm MCS DM72 / DM92 – Sympathetic Reaction Test
Test performed
by Rheinmetall
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
B) 120 mm APFSDS-T DM63
120 mm APFSDS-T Round DM63
with L1 / SCDB® Propellant
(Solvent-Less, Surface Coated Double Base Propellant)
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B) 120 mm APFSDS-T DM63 – Advantages
Same high performance as predecessor 700 1800
DM53/LKE2 DM53
pmax / MPa
3 times lower gun barrel wear than DM53; 600 1700
vo / m/s
barrel life 400 – 600 rounds (such as DM33)
DM63
Almost temperature-independent peak 500 1600
pressure, velocity, projectile acceleration,
and projectile trajectory
Suitable for all climatic categories 400 1500
-40 -20 0 20 40 60
including A1; full function from -46°C Temperature / °C
to +63°C; save for firing up to +71°C
lower dispersion / higher hit probability
Reduced peak pressure and recoil impulse
usable in all in-service smooth bore conventional +3 5 C / 4 DM 63
+5 3°C / 4
120 mm guns
Excellent IM properties due to optimized
formulation and surface coating
Qualified and in series production since
2005; introduced in Germany, Netherlands,
Finland, Denmark, Austria, Canada, Turkey
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
B) 120 mm APFSDS-T DM63 – IM Test Results Tests performed
by WTD91
Tests performed on packed DM63 rounds during DM 63 Qualification
Bullet Entry
Bullet Impact Test (STANAG 4241)
Ö Reaction Type V
(Rupture of casing in area of bullet exit,
Bullet Exit burning of propellant and combustible
cartridge material, no blast (< 0.09 bar),
no fragments, no propulsion of parts)
Fast Heating Test (STANAG 4240)
Ö Reaction Type V
(Rupture of lid, burning of propellant
and combustible cartridge material, no
blast (< 0.09 bar), no fragments, no
propulsion of parts >15 m)
Assessment: The 120mm x 570 DM63 round fulfils the level V criteria of STANAG 4439
and can be classified according to UN Code as 1.3 C
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
B) 120 mm APFSDS-T DM63 – Sympathetic Reaction Test
RPG7
4 DM63 in
original
packaging
Test performed
by Rheinmetall
RPG7 Shaped Charge Jet Impact (STANAG 4526)
Type IV Reaction (Deflagration of Donor)
Sympathetic Reaction (STANAG 4396)
No Reaction
All three acceptors recovered intact within
a radius of 5 m – no ignition / no burning
Acceptor A1 mechanically damaged (dented)
Other acceptors even mechanically undamaged
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
B) 120 mm APFSDS-T DM63 – Sympathetic Reaction Test
Test performed
by Rheinmetall
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
C) 120 mm TPDS-T with I- / R-Type Propellants
Solvent-Less Produced I-Type and R2 Propellants
for 120 mm TP-, HE- and MP- Cartridges and
for 105 mm APFSDS-T Applications
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
C) 120 mm TPDS-T with I- / R-Type Propellants – Advantages
The solvent-less produced I-Type and R2 propellants are excellently suited
for 120 mm TP-, TPDS-, HE- and MP-cartridges and for 105 mm APFSDS-T
applications
Main advantage is that these propellants are much less brittle thus
showing better IM properties than the M14, M26 and M30 propellants
often used in these applications
I-Type formulation (I5420; double base with DEGN)
Well established and fielded for 30 years in 120 mm
ammunition (MP: DM11; APFSDS-T: DM48)
Propellant production process was recently optimized
regarding IM properties and production costs
Chosen for the new Rheinmetall 120 mm HE round
Chosen for the European version of the 120 mm M865
round where the sensitive and toxic M14 propellant is replaced
(→ M865C1; qualified, production commencing 2008)
R2 formulation (triple base with RDX/NIGU)
Recently developed for maximum performance at low erosion level
Performance and IM properties somewhat better than I-Type
propellant
Slightly more expensive than I-Type propellants
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
C) 120 mm TPDS-T M865C1 with I-Type Propellant – Test performed
by Rheinmetall
Sympathetic Reaction Test
RPG7 4 M865
with I-Type
Propellant
in US
packaging
RPG7 Shaped Charge Jet Impact (STANAG 4526)
Type IV Reaction (Deflagration / Propelling of Donor)
Sympathetic Reaction (STANAG 4396)
No Reaction
Acceptor A1 mechanically damaged
Acceptor A3 not even damaged
Acceptor A2 was accidentally hit by
RPG7 fragments and was ignited /
reacted with burning
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
C) 120 mm TPDS-T M865C1 with R2 Propellant – Test performed
by Rheinmetall
Sympathetic Reaction Test
RPG7 4 M865
with R2
Propellant
in US
packaging
RPG7 Shaped Charge Jet Impact (STANAG 4526)
Type IV Reaction (Deflagration / Propelling of Donor)
Sympathetic Reaction (STANAG 4396)
No Reaction
All 3 Acceptors recovered within 3 m
Acceptor A1 mechanically damaged
Acceptor A3 not damaged
Acceptor A2 (case and ccc) punctured
by RPG7 fragments but not ignited
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
Conclusions
The new generation of NITROCHEMIE's large caliber
gun propellants combines outstanding performance
with excellent IM-properties
The excellent IM properties are achieved by
a combination of
optimized formulation,
improved and carefully operated solvent-
less propellant production process,
and, in case of the SCDB© propellant, the addition
of the surface coating step
Upgrade of the solvent-less propellant factory
with new and automated equipment assisted
IM improvements and reduceds costs
NITROCHEMIE's strategy to optimize IM properties of
nitrocellulose-based propellants rather than searching
for exotic polymer-bonded formulations has proven
successful again
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
Last year's winner of the MSIAC Award is not resting on
its laurels but searching for further improvements !
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NITROCHEMIE's IM Large Caliber Propellants
Acknowledgement
Audience: For you Attention
Rheinmetall: Dr. K.-A. Kratzsch; Mr. W. Stein
Co-authors: Dr. A. Huber, Mr. H. Jaskolka
Co-workers at both company sites
Wimmis, Switzerland Aschau, Germany
2007 IM Conference _ Pres Vogelsanger.ppt Vob/Hu/Jk © NITROCHEMIE 2007 21
