UNCLASSIFIED 1

Enhancing the Performance of

NATO Calibre
Small Arms Ammunition
Simon Parker
Project Manager, New Product Development
BAE Systems Land (UK)

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 BAE SYSTEMS PROPRIETARY 2

Synopsis

BAE Systems has developed new natures of 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition that
provide the user with greater capability than is currently available
This presentation will provide background to the capability gaps and describe briefly the
design of the new ammunition natures, together with their associated performance
improvements (some of which will be demonstrated during the live firing display at the
symposium)

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 UNCLASSIFIED 3

Introduction

BAE Systems Land (UK)

We supply the Armed Forces with the most state
of the art munitions and equipment available,
offering service support and life extension
programmes, along with a range of engineering
and supply services
We operate from 10 sites in the UK and employ
around 1,700 people

SAA manufacturing facility at Radway Green

Investment of over 80 million over five years
Most modern high volume facility in the world
Capacity of 350 million rounds per year

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 UNCLASSIFIED 4

Small Arms capabilities

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 UNCLASSIFIED 5

The increasing threat

The Battlefield
Range

Threat/Protection Level

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 UNCLASSIFIED 6

The need for greater capability

7.62mm Ball
Range

5.56mm Ball (NATO)

Threat/Protection Level

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 UNCLASSIFIED 7

Capability gaps

5.56mm 7.62mm
Lethality Lethality

Low Weight Penetration Low Weight Penetration

Effective Range Consistency Effective Range Consistency

5.56mm Ball (NATO) 7.62mm Ball (NATO)

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 UNCLASSIFIED 8

Improved Small Arms Ammunition

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 UNCLASSIFIED 9

5.56mm Enhanced Performance (EP)

Ball (NATO) Enhanced

Performance Ball

Hardened Hardened
Steel Tip Steel Core

Lead Core
Gilding Metal
Envelope
Gilding Metal
Envelope

4g Mass 4g Mass

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 UNCLASSIFIED 10

7.62mm High Performance (HP)

Ball High
(NATO) Performance Ball

Hardened
steel tip
Lead core

Lead core

Gilding metal Gilding metal

envelope envelope

9.3g Mass 10g Mass

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 UNCLASSIFIED 11

5.56mm Performance Characteristics

Penetration against various hard targets.

3.5mm Steel

8mm Steel

5.56mm EP
5mm RHA 5.56mm Ball (NATO)

Protected Light Truck

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Range (m)

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 UNCLASSIFIED 12

5.56mm Performance Characteristics

Lethality against unprotected targets is similar for both Ball (NATO) and
Enhanced Performance (EP)
Lethality behind protected targets
CRISAT Body Armour
Probability of Kill (Pk)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Range (m)
5.56mm Ball (NATO) 5.56mm EP

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 UNCLASSIFIED 13

5.56mm Performance Characteristics

Lethality behind protected targets

3.5mm Steel (NATO) Plate

Probability of Kill (Pk)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Range (m)
5.56mm Ball (NATO) 5.56mm EP

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 UNCLASSIFIED 14

7.62mm Performance Characteristics

Penetration against various hard targets.

3.5mm Steel

8mm Steel

7.62mm HP
5mm RHA 7.62mm Ball (NATO)

Protected Light Truck

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Range (m)

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 UNCLASSIFIED 15

7.62mm Performance Characteristics

Lethality against unprotected targets.

900

800

700

600

500
EKE (J)

400

300

200

100

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Range (m)
7.62mm Ball (NATO) 7.62mm HP

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 UNCLASSIFIED 16

7.62mm Performance Characteristics

Lethality behind protected targets.

CRISAT Body Armour

Probability of Kill (Pk)

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

Range (m)
7.62mm Ball (NATO) 7.62mm HP

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 UNCLASSIFIED 17

7.62mm Performance Characteristics

Lethality behind protected targets.

3.5mm Steel (NATO Plate)

Probability of Kill (Pk)

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

Range (m)
7.62mm Ball (NATO) 7.62mm HP

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 UNCLASSIFIED 18

7.62mm Performance Characteristics

Relative Consistency from UK Sharpshooter Rifle

Ball (NATO) Sniper HP

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 UNCLASSIFIED 19

Filling the capability gap

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 UNCLASSIFIED 20

Filling the capability gap

5.56mm 7.62mm
Lethality Lethality

Low Weight Penetration Low Weight Penetration

Effective Range Consistency Effective Range Consistency

5.56mm EP 5.56mm Ball (NATO) 7.62mm HP 7.62mm Ball (NATO)

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 UNCLASSIFIED 21

Improved capability delivered

7.62mm HP

7.62mm Ball (NATO)

5.56mm EP
Range

5.56mm Ball (NATO)

Threat/Protection Level

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 UNCLASSIFIED 22

Firing demonstrations

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 UNCLASSIFIED 23

Firing demonstration

Range/target layout

G36

G3

Target Plate - 5mm Armour

Witness Sheet - 1mm Aluminium

Firing schedule
15 rounds 5.56mm Ball (NATO) from G36 against Target 1
15 rounds 5.56mm EP from G36 against Target 1
15 rounds 7.62mm Ball (NATO) from G3 against Target 2
15 rounds 7.62mm HP from G3 against Target 2

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 BAE SYSTEMS PROPRIETARY 24

Firing demonstration 5.56mm

At the Target

Ball (NATO) Enhanced Performance (EP)

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 BAE SYSTEMS PROPRIETARY 25

Firing demonstration 7.62mm

At the Target

Ball (NATO) High Performance (HP)

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 BAE SYSTEMS PROPRIETARY 26

Firing demonstration
Target Plate 5mm RHA

EP HP HP
EP

Ball
Ball (NATO) Ball (NATO) Ball
(NATO)
(NATO)
5.56mm 7.62mm

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 UNCLASSIFIED 27

Thank you

BAE Systems Land (UK)

Copyright 2016 BAE Systems. All

Rights Reserved. Permission to reproduce
any part of this document should be
sought from BAE Systems. Permission will
usually be given providing the source is
acknowledged and the copyright notice
above and this notice are reproduced.

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