Cased Telescoped Small Arms Systems

27 April 2016
NDIA Armament Small Arms Forum
Fredericksburg, VA

Kori Phillips (973) 724-7944

Joint Service Small Arms Program Office
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ

Paul Shipley (410) 628-3462

Textron Systems/AAI Corporation
P.O. Box 126 – Hunt Valley, MD 21030-0126

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 Introduction

• Outline
– Background
– Ammunition Trade Study Summary
– Cased Telescoped 6.5mm Carbine Development
– Cased Telescoped 7.62mm Ammunition & Machine Gun

• Acknowledgements
– Textron Systems/AAI Corporation
– Team Members
• ARES Inc.
• MSC Software
• St. Marks Powder

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 5.56mm Cased Telescoped
System Portfolio
5.56mm Cased Telescoped (CT) System:
• 20 lb weight savings w/1000 CT rds
• 120,000+ rounds of 5.56mm CT ammo
• 10 Light Machine Guns fabricated
• Pilot production facility for ammunition operational
CT Light Machine Gun and
• Technology maturity demonstrated: Ammo & LMG
5.56mm CT Ammunition
• Over 22 standard small arms qualification tests
• Assessed at TRL 7
• Operational assessments demonstrate strong user support:
- Military Utility Assessment (SEP 2011)
- USASOC Assessment (OCT 2012)
- DNNE LOE (AUG 2013)

5.56mm Cased Telescoped (CT) Carbine:

• Carbine action - TRL 5 completed
Cased Telescoped Carbine Action

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 Trade Study Analysis Summary
(Completed in 2014)

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 Requirements and System Level
Tradeoff Parameters
• Lethality Requirements
– All projectiles must achieve lethality thresholds
– Intermediate Range (R1): Based on Projectile Velocity
– Long Range (R2): Based on Projectile Kinetic Energy
• Design System from “Target Back”
– Apply tailored modeling and simulation tools
– Derive required muzzle velocity for each projectile caliber and
configuration via trajectory analysis
– Derive projectile delivery system characteristics
• Cartridge size and weight
• Machine gun size and weight
• System characteristics
• Evaluate System Tradeoffs

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 System Tradeoff Evaluation
Current Systems versus CT Systems

Projectile Calibers/Configurations

5.56mm M855
62 grains, Low Downrange Energy

7.62mm M80A1
130 grains, High Drag Shape
Highest Recoil

6.5mm Low Drag Profile

125 grains, Best Downrange
Velocity & Energy, Lower Recoil

Range to Achieve Impact Velocity Requirement

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 CT Caliber/Configuration
Tradeoff Study Summary
• Findings
– Cased Telescoped Design
• Provided 35%+ weight reduction benefit for all concepts
• All projectile configurations/calibers were compatible with CT cartridge
• Long-stroke/soft recoil weapon characteristics maintained for all cartridge
designs
– Low drag projectile configuration delivers significant performance and
packaging benefits in smaller caliber

6.5mm selected as “representative” optimized caliber CT cartridge

based on Trade Study. Results scalable to other calibers

Conclusion: CT implementation of optimized caliber low

drag projectile provides multiple benefits:
> Up to 45% weight reduction versus 7.62mm system
> More lethality and range than 7.62mm system
> Reduced recoil and improved controllability versus 7.62mm system

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 6.5mm Cased Telescoped Ammunition and
Carbine Development

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 6.5mm Cased Telescoped Ammunition
and Carbine

• Background
– 5.56mm CT Carbine mechanism previously designed
and demonstrated
– Successfully tested rising chamber and 4-row magazine

• Current Effort
– Ammunition Activities
• Incorporate low drag 6.5mm projectile configuration
• Develop custom ball powder blend to optimize ballistic performance
• Demonstrate interior ballistics, dispersion, structure across temperature range
– Carbine Activities
• Revisit design tradeoffs for 6.5mm CT system due to larger cartridge size and higher
impulse versus 5.56mm CT system
• Develop detailed Carbine design
• Fabricate, demonstrate weapon action and integrated weapon

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 6.5mm CT Ammo Characteristics

Brass Cased Telescoped

Metric 7.62mm 7.62mm 6.5mm 5.56mm

Length [in] 2.8 2.032 2.032 1.556

Size
Diameter [in] 0.487 0.504 0.504 0.419

Projectile Weight
131 131 125 62
[grains]

Ctg Weight [grains] 362 240 237 127

Weight
Ctg % Weight Savings - 34% 35% (2) 33% (1)

Belted Weight, 200 rds

12.2 7.5 - 3.8
[lbs]

Belted % Weight
- 38% - 39% (1)
Savings, 200 rds
Volume

Volume .486 in3 .398 in3 .398 in3 .215 in3

7.62mm 7.62mm 6.5mm 5.56 mm % Volume Reduction - 18% 18% (2) 12% (1)
NATO CT CT CT

(1) Compared to 5.56mm NATO

(2) Compared to 7.62mm NATO
6.5mm CT cartridge has significantly better performance
than 7.62mm CT cartridge

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 6.5mm Carbine Weapon Overview
32.0” (Collapsed)

7.3” M4A1
• Length (collapsed): 29.8”
• Barrel length (rifled): 12.7”
• Barrel length (overall): 14.5”
2.0” • Width (w/out handguard): 2.4”
• Preliminary weapon weight 9.7 lbs (not optimized) • Height: 7.2”
• 2” longer barrel than M4
• Closed bolt, forward feed
• Gas operated tappet & piston
• Rate of fire: 600 rounds per minute
• 20 round magazine
• Notional lower receiver based upon AR15 dimensions

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 6.5mm Carbine System Status

• Initial ammunition design complete

– Baseline cartridge meets performance requirements
– Propellant optimization in work to further improve performance
• Weapon action and magazine design complete
– Kinematic analysis complete
– Dynamic test fixture (DTF) design complete
• Fabrication of weapon operating system and DTF underway
• Carbine action testing scheduled to begin in May, with TRL 5 in late
2016
• Integrated weapon testing to begin in mid 2017

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 7.62mm Cased Telescoped Ammunition and
Machine Gun Development

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 7.62mm CT Ammunition and Machine
Gun

Ammunition Machine Gun

• Incorporate M80A1 • Reduced weight: 27 pounds

projectile in lightweight CT less than current M240L and
cartridge, maintain current brass cased M80A1
muzzle velocity and lethality ammunition
• Demonstrate scalability of • Increased performance:
Weight, lbs

CT technology and growth 7.62mm capability at same

potential for future weight than current M249
enhanced lethality 5.56mm SAW
projectiles/ calibers • Incorporate weapon recoil
mitigation/controllability
features demonstrated in
5.56mm CT system

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 7.62mm CT Ammo Characteristics

Brass Cased Telescoped

Metric 7.62mm 7.62mm 6.5mm 5.56mm

Length [in] 2.8 2.032 2.032 1.556

Size
Diameter [in] 0.487 0.504 0.504 0.419

Projectile Weight
131 131 125 62
[grains]

Ctg Weight [grains] 362 240 237 127

Weight
Ctg % Weight Savings - 34% 35% (2) 33% (1)

Belted Weight, 200 rds

12.2 7.5 - 3.8
[lbs]

Belted % Weight
- 38% - 39% (1)
Savings, 200 rds
Volume

Volume .486 in3 .398 in3 .398 in3 .215 in3

7.62mm 7.62mm 6.5mm 5.56 mm % Volume Reduction - 18% 18% (2) 12% (1)
NATO CT CT CT

(1) Compared to 5.56mm NATO

(2) Compared to 7.62mm NATO
7.62mm CT cartridge allows for direct
comparison to M240 system

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 7.62mm CT Machine Gun Overview

44” (Collapsed)

Metric M240B M240L

Weight (lb) 27.6 21.8
9.3” Length (in,
48.5 44.5
collapsed)
Height (in) 11.6 11.6
• Weapon weight 14.7 lbs
• Rate of fire: 550 rounds per minute
• Open bolt, forward feed, side ejection, gas operated piston system
• Maintains long-stroke, soft-recoil kinematics demonstrated in 5.56mm CT
LMG
• Short and long barrel options available to match M240B/L
• Can be readily converted for use with 6.5mm CT ammunition

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 7.62mm Cased Telescoped
Ammunition and Machine Gun Status

• Ammunition Activities
‒ Cartridge meets all ballistic performance requirements and functions across
the full temperature range
‒ Propellant optimization in work to further improve performance
• Machine Gun Activities
‒ Completed structural and kinematic analyses
‒ Fabrication of weapon action complete
‒ Weapon action testing underway. Initial firing tests show favorable
performance
‒ Belt pull up to 200 rds
‒ Burst fire up to 20 rds
‒ Dispersion
• Mid 2017 integrated weapon capability demonstration planned

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