An Investigation to Develop anInsensitive Artillery Propellant:

A Joint U.S.-Japan Cooperative Project

US Army RDECOM-ARDEC&

First Research Center, TRDI,Japan Defense Agency

2

1 Project Objectives2 Scope of Work3 Project Schedule4 Background Information Exchanged5 Design of Prototype Propellants6 Performance Tests7 Results8 Conclusion9 Future Plan

CONTENTS

1 Project Objectives

Research and exploratory development ofhigh performance LOVA gun propellant toreduce the vulnerability, increase theenergy, and maintain the reliability ofpropellant formulations which areapplicable to future artillery chargesystems-ARDEC and First Research Center share thetechnologies and responsibility, pursue the commonperformance goals according to MOU and ManagementPlan.

With current propellant

Longer tube life withlower erosivity

Developed erosion

Reduced erosion

With propellant under study

Flexible range attained byproper combustion behavior

Minimize the battle damage

1-2 Performance Goals: Concept

1-2 Performance Goals

Compared with the reference gun propellant;

�Low Vulnerability – one rank-order safer

�High Energy – desired to be 5% higher

�Low Erosivity – 20% less gun wear

�Proper Combustion Behavior – similar burningcharacteristics

�Proper Aging Characteristics – better stability

�System Performance – Priority: Safety > Performance, etc.

2 Scope of Work

Task 1: Disclose specific background information

Task 2: Develop fundamental specifications of CAN-based LOVA gun propellants through exchange ofingredients and fabrication of candidates

Task 3: Design and fabricate LOVA gun propellants

Task 4: Conduct performance tests

Final report

Note: CAN = Cellulose Acetate Nitrate

3 Project Schedule

MOU

JapanUS

Final Report

Task 4 Performance Tests

Task 3 Design & Fabrication

Task 2 Development of Specs

Task 1 Exchange of BGI

Calendar Year ‘03‘02‘01‘00‘99

4 Background Information Exchanged

�RDX properties – physical, chemical, toxicological

�CAN properties – physical, chemical, toxicological

�Plasticizers properties

�Gun propellant design method

�M30A1 properties – physical, chemical, transport

�Performance test procedures

5-1 Design of Prototype Propellants

Composition

Grain fabrication

Main

RDX

Binder

CAN

Plasticizer

P1, P2

Composition

NQ NC NG

LOVA Prototype PropellantsReference Propellant

(M30A1)

Type A, B, C

Grain fabrication

ESTABLISH BASICCONCEPT

PRELIMINARYSCREENING TEST

ESTABLISHCORRELATIONS

Calculate Impetus Predict Erosion Behavior

Update impetus calculation and ErosionBehavior

Calculate correlations between LOVAcompositions and:

Bullet Impact Response, Card Gap, etc

FINDBEST COMPOSITIONS

Combustion Behavior

Low Erosivity

Impetus

LOVA (Heat Resistance)

LOVA (Card Gap)

Comp. (ingredient B)

Comp.

(ingre

dient

A)

LOVA (Bullet Impact)

Performance contour

Optimum Composition

5-2 Design Approach to Prototype Propellants

Pressure ExponentTemperature Sensitivity

Combustion

NOX Evolution RateMicrocalorimatricChemiluminescenceRemaining Virgin Stabilizer (SIP)

Erosion Bomb

ImpetusMuzzle Velocity

Fast Cook-offShaped Charge Jet ImpactFragment ImpactBullet Impact

Itemized Tests

Aging

ARDEC&

Tsuchiura TestCenter, Japan

Erosivity

Energy

ARDEC&

Shimokita TestCenter, Japan

LOVA

PlacesCategory

6-1 Outline of Performance Tests

Pressure sensors

6-2 Fragment/Bullet Impact Tests

FIT

BIT

Canister

Pressure sensor

Reference (M30A1)Explosion ~ Deflagration

LOVA (JP-C)> Burning

6-2 Bullet Impact Test Results

LOVA (US-C)> Burning

6-3 Fast Cook Off/Shaped Charge Jet Sensitivity Tests

FCO

SCJ

Steel witness plate

Rockeye shaped charge

Steel container

Cardboardcontainer

Cardboardcontainer

Pressure sensor

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

JP-A JP-B JP-C US-A US-B US-C REF

Rel

ativ

e Ti

me

to S

tart

the

Rea

ctio

n

Time to Start the Reaction of REF is taken as unity.

6-3 Fast Cook Off Test ResultsComparison of Time to Start the Reaction

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

JP-A JP-B JP-C US-A US-B US-C REF Rockeye

6-3 Shaped Charge Jet Impact Test ResultsComparison of Blast Overpressure

JP-A JP-B JP-C US-A US-B US-C REF

Rel

ativ

e Pe

ak O

verp

ress

ure

Peak Overpressure of REF is taken as unity.

Rockeye

0.85

0.90

0.95

1.00

1.05

1.10

-40 -20 0 20 40 60 80

6-4 Ballistic Test Results

0.95

1.00

1.05

1.10

1.15

-40 -20 0 20 40 60 Rel

ativ

e M

uzzl

e Ve

loci

ty

Rel

ativ

e M

uzzl

e Ve

loci

tyPropellant Temperature, oC Propellant Temperature, oC

Japan- 40 mm Ballistic Test DataUS- 30 mm Ballistic Test Data

Muzzle Velocity of REF (21 oC) is taken as unity.

Reference (M30A1)

LOVA (US-A)

LOVA (US-B)LOVA (US-C)

LOVA (JP-B)

LOVA (JP-C)

LOVA (JP-A)

Reference (M30A1)

6-5 Erosion Bomb Tests

TRDI Erosion Bomb

Grain Test piece

ARDEC Erosion Bomb

Degree of gas erosion is evaluated by weighing the test piecebefore and after the firing.

Test piece Burst disk

6-6 Aging Characteristics Tests

1 year60, 12060, 12015, 60Duration indays

Room45 oC55 oC65 oCTemp.

pass

pass

pass

pass

Results

NOx evolution rate analysis

Microcalorimetric analysis

Remaining virgin Stabilizer analysis

Direct chemiluminescence analysis

Method

bccbaaaPriority: SafetySystem

------Pressureexponent

+

-74%

0

-

~0%

00

-

+

US-B

+

+43%

-

0

~0%

++++

0

+

JP-C

+

-80%

0

+

~0%

++

-

0

US-A

Temp.sensitivity -00

SimilarcharacteristicsCombustion

Velocity

Impetus ~0%3%3%0-5% upEnergy

0++

+++betterAging

+26%~0%~0%20% lessErosivity

++++++BIT

+++++FIT

000SCJ

+++FCO

1 rank saferLOVA

US-CJP-BJP-ACriteriaItem

Note: + = better, 0=equal to, - = inferior than M30A1, a=promising, b=fair, c=needs improvement

7 Overall Result Chart

8 Conclusion

Two of six CAN based formulations demonstratedmeasurable improvement in terms of the most of theperformance goals.

Overall, CAN material is a good binder except for the lowburning rate at low pressure.

The research project has produced propellantformulations, that once optimized, could potentiallypresent viable candidates for transition to current andfuture weapon systems.

9 Future Plan

Integrating LOVA propellant into the charge system inservice and demonstrating LOVA propellant system for155mm Howitzer.

U.S. Side

Japan Side

Continue to develop CAN based propellant for otherapplications. Discussions to continue under artillery DEAand possibility of future cooperation to be explored.