Project Manager Combat Ammunition Systems (PM CAS)
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AMMUNITION hicle-mounted systems used to perform family of 60 mm ammunition including mortar tactical and technical fire control for high-explosive, smoke, illumination, in- The Program Executive Office for Am- infantry, heavy and Stryker brigade combat frared illumination and practice cartridges. munition (PEO Ammo) has the mission to teams (BCTs). With ranges from 70 meters to 3,500 meters, continue being the best provider of conven- The APMI is a response to an Operation the M224A1 meets lethality, range and tional, leap-ahead munitions, mortars, Enduring Freedom (OEF) operational need weight requirements for light forces. towed artillery systems and counter-impro- statement (ONS) requiring a GPS-guided, The M252A1 81 mm Mortar System is a vised explosive device (IED) products by 120 mm mortar cartridge with 10 meters smooth-bore, muzzle-loaded weapon that fostering innovation and diversity for the CEP accuracy to rapidly defeat personnel replaced the M252 mortar. It features a high warfighter. Project managers within the targets while minimizing collateral damage. rate of fire, extended range, improved PEO include Combat Ammunition Sys- APMI is currently compatible with U.S. dis- lethality and improved overall system char- tems, Maneuver Ammunition Systems, mounted 120 mm weapons and fire control acteristics, reducing overall system weight Joint Program Manager Towed Artillery system, and the Stryker double-V hull mor- by 20 percent (90.3 pounds to 70.3 pounds). Systems, Close Combat Systems, Project Di- tar carrier and fire control system. It has The entire family of 81 mm ammunition rector Joint Services and Project Director been successfully used in operations in OEF. can be fired by the M252A1. The M252A1 Joint Products. The PGK is a GPS guidance kit with prox- consists of the M253 cannon (tube), imity and point detonating fuzing func- M177A1 bipod, M3A2 baseplate and the Project Manager Combat tions. It is compatible with existing high-ex- M67A1 sight unit. Ammunition Systems (PM CAS) plosive, 155 mm M549A1 and M795 cannon The M120/M121 120 mm Battalion Mor- The Project Manager Combat Ammuni- artillery projectiles. The PGK corrects the tar System is a smooth-bore, muzzle-loaded, tion Systems (PM CAS) is responsible for ballistic trajectory of the projectile to reduce high-angle-of-fire weapon organic to the equipping soldiers and marines with can- delivery errors and improves projectile ac- battalion, providing immediate long-range, non-launched, indirect-fire munitions and curacy to a range-independent accuracy of lethality, illumination and smoke-screening mortar weapons systems. Organizations less than 50 meters CEP. The PGK will effec- effectiveness for close combat. It is used within PM CAS include Product Manager tively reduce target delivery error of con- in a ground-mounted (M120) or vehicle- Excalibur, Product Manager Guided Preci- ventional artillery munitions, reducing the mounted (M121 on the M1064A3 mortar sion Munitions and Mortar Systems (PM number of projectiles required to execute a carrier) role. It consists of the M298 barrel GPM2S), Conventional Ammunition Divi- fire mission. Fielding is expected in 2014. assembly, M191 bipod assembly, the M9A1 sion, Technical Management Division and The M224A1 60 mm Mortar Weapon Sys- baseplate and the M67A1 sight. The 120 Business Management Division. tem is a lightweight, high-angle-of-fire, mm battalion mortar system provides smooth-bore, manportable, muzzle-loaded close-in and continuous indirect fire sup- Product Manager Excalibur mortar with weight reduced by 20 percent port to maneuver forces and can rapidly The M982 Excalibur, a 155 mm, preci- (44 pounds to 35.3 pounds) and reduced respond to threats. sion-guided, artillery high-explosive projec- maintenance requirements. The M224A1 The M326 Mortar Stowage Kit (MSK) is tile with extended range, has been fielded to consists of an M225A1 cannon (tube), a 120 mm mortar employment improve- servicemembers and successfully employed M170A1 bipod assembly, M7A1 baseplate, ment. The powered device enables a 120 in combat operations. Excalibur couples M8 auxiliary baseplate and the M67A1 mm mortar to be quickly put in or out of ac- global positioning system (GPS) precision- sight unit. The M224A1 fires the complete tion. The M326 uses a mortar support strut guidance technology with an inertial mea- surement unit to provide accurate, first- round fire-for-effect capability in an urban setting with accuracy better than 10 meters circular error probable (CEP). Excalibur is approximately 1 meter in length and weighs 106 pounds. Its extended range (up to 40 kilometers) and high accuracy result in in- creased lethality with a decrease in required volume of fire per engagement. Excalibur Increment Ia is in full-rate production, and Excalibur Increment Ib is in engineering and manufacturing development. Product Manager Guided Precision Munitions and Mortar Systems The Product Manager for Guided Preci- sion Munitions and Mortar Systems (PM GPM2S) is the life-cycle manager responsi- ble for guided munition improvements for cannon-launched weapons (mortars and ar- tillery), mortar weapons and mortar fire control systems. Assigned guided precision munitions include the XM1156 Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) and the Urgent Ma- teriel Release (UMR) Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative (APMI). Mortar weapons include the 60 mm, 81 mm and 120 mm sys- tems and related equipment. Fire control systems include handheld devices and ve- M120/M121 120 mm Battalion Mortar System October 2012 I ARMY 359 Product Director Medium Caliber M150/M151 Mortar Ammunition (PD MC) Fire-Control System- The Product Director Medium Caliber Dismounted Ammunition (PD MC) is responsible for (MFCS-D) life-cycle management of direct-fire combat and training ammunition in 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, and 40 mm caliber families for the Army. Under the single manager for con- ventional ammunition executor, PD MC is responsible for procurement of medium- caliber combat and training ammunition for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. PD MC supports medium-caliber ammuni- tion needs of the individual warfighter and weapon platforms, which include the Mk 19 Automatic Grenade Launcher; M203/320 Grenade Launcher; Bradley Fighting Vehi- cle; Light Armored Vehicle; AH-64 Apache; MH-60 Black Hawk and AH-1W Super Co- bra helicopters; A-10 Thunderbolt, AC- 130U Spectre, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, FA- 18 Hornet, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft; Land-based Phalanx Weapons System (LPWS) for Counter Rockets Ar- tillery and Mortars (C-RAM); and the Pha- to hold the mortar tube, baseplate and bi- indirect-fire ammunition and selected weap- lanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) for pod together in transport mode for ease of ons. Offices within PM MAS include the naval vessels. deployment. This assembly is emplaced or Product Manager Small Caliber Ammuni- Non-Dud Producing (NDP) training am- recovered by a hydraulic winch with a tion, Product Director Medium Caliber munition is being developed for the 40 mm manual backup. Ammunition, Product Manager Large Cal- grenade family to allow soldiers and units The M95/M96 Mortar Fire-Control Sys- iber Ammunition and Product Director to train more realistically on continental U.S. tem (MFCS) is a digital fire-control system Non-Standard Ammunition. training ranges without safety concerns for the vehicle-mounted M121, linking mor- from unexploded ordnance, while meeting tar fires with the digital battlefield. MFCS Product Manager Small Caliber environmental requirements with nontoxic provides increased responsiveness, crew Ammunition (PM SC) components. Currently, units cannot go survivability and mortar accuracy. The Product Manager Small Caliber downrange during training to conduct fire The M150/M151 Mortar Fire-Control Ammunition (PM SC) is the life-cycle man- and maneuver tactics. NDP rounds are be- System-Dismounted (MFCS-D) is similar ager for the full range of small-caliber am- ing developed for both the low-velocity to the M95 MFCS and is being fielded with munition including production of legacy family, fired from the M203 and M320, and the M326 to provide a digital fire-control items such as pistol, shotgun and rifle am- the high-velocity family, fired from the Mk system for the ground-mounted 120 mm munition up to and including .50-caliber for 19. Low-rate initial production and full op- system. MFCS-D provides increased re- all the armed services and development of erational capability are planned for fiscal sponsiveness, crew survivability and mor- new ammunition to support emerging year (FY) 2015. A capability development tar accuracy. Army requirements. Small-caliber systems document was signed for the 40 mm high- The M32 Lightweight Handheld Mortar include .22-caliber, .38-caliber, 9 mm, .45- velocity training round and a capability pro- Ballistic Computer (LHMBC) is a joint ser- caliber, 12-gauge shotgun, 5.56 mm, 7.62 duction document for the 40 mm low-veloc- vice Marine Corps/Army system that cal- mm and .50-caliber families of munitions. ity in December 2011. culates technical firing solutions for the en- PM SC also manages the modernization of tire family of fielded U.S. mortars and their the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, Product Manager Large Caliber complete inventory of ammunition. It is Mo., the primary source of small-caliber Ammunition (PM LC) linked into the digital fire support system ammunition. The Product Manager Large Caliber and includes an internal GPS receiver for The M855A1 Enhanced Performance Ammunition (PM LC) is responsible for improved tube positioning accuracy. Round is a lead-free version of the M855 life-cycle management of large-caliber, di- cartridge that is fired from the 5.56 mm fam- rect-fire combat and training ammunition Project Manager Maneuver ily of weapons (M4, M16 and M249) and is for the Army and Marine Corps. Platforms Ammunition Systems (PM MAS) the newest of the small-caliber family of supported include the Abrams main battle The Project Manager Maneuver Ammu- munitions.