Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - First 25mm Thermobaric Airburst Round Fired from XM307 Crew Served Weapon

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRe...d=134-10272003

First 25mm Thermobaric Airburst Round Fired from XM307 Crew Served Weapon

10/27/03 1:36:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Jodie Daubert of PM Soldier Weapons, 973-568-1036; e-mail: jodie.daubert@us.army.mil or Phillip Hynes of General Dynamics, 802-657-6246; e-mail: phillip.d.hynes@gdatp.com

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J., Oct. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- COL Michael J. Smith, Project Manager of Soldier Weapons, today announced the successful results of the first demonstration of a 25mm thermobaric round fired from the XM307 Advanced Crew Served Weapon on Sept. 10 and 11 at the U.S. Army's Infantry Commanders Conference, Fort Benning, Ga.

The thermobaric round combines the current XM307 airburst capability with thermobaric ammunition that utilizes a single initiation with a two-staged event - the dispersal of an explosive mixture into the air followed by ignition. After the thermobaric cartridge impacts the target, the initial explosion disperses fine thermobaric explosive particles into the air. The dispersed explosive reacts with oxygen in the air and auto-ignites, which creates an overpressure. The resulting particle cloud formed by thermobaric ammunition fills the entire lethal area potentially resulting in 100 percent probability of hit in targets, such as buildings and caves.

"This demonstration provided PM Soldier Weapons with the opportunity to examine whether or not it is possible to scale a thermobaric event in 25mm," said LTC Robert Carpenter, Product Manager of Crew Served Weapons. "We still need to determine the effectiveness of the round in 25mm, both in reliability and scalability. However, if it is successful, we plan to transfer the ammunition to individual weapons, as well."

The XM307, in development with General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), is a lightweight, two-man portable machine gun that fires precision airbursting munitions. It is equipped with a target acquisition fire control sight and is the first automatic weapon to fire a 25mm thermobaric round at the intended range of 450 meters.

The office of Product Manager Crew Served Weapons is a division of Project Manager Soldier Weapons, Program Executive Office Soldier (https://peosoldier.army.mil). Crew served weapons include light, medium and heavy machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, sniper systems and associated fire control and target acquisition products that provide soldiers with a decisive overmatch capability by increasing lethality, range and capability. PM Soldier Weapons is based at the Picatinny Arsenal, NJ and supports soldiers through the development and production of current and future weapon systems, ammunition and associated target acquisition/fire control products.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products and General Dynamics Ordnance and Technical Systems, business units of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), assisted in the development and testing of the thermobaric ammunition.

General Dynamics (http://www.generaldynamics.com), headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 66,900 people worldwide and anticipates 2003 revenues of $16.1 billion. The company has leading market positions in mission-critical information systems and technologies, land and amphibious combat systems, shipbuilding and marine systems and business aviation.

http://www.usnewswire.com/