have you seen this?

[leroy8541]

:
banana:http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/oicw.htm


death destruction and mahem




Semper Fi

[leroy8541]

Published in the January 2000 issue of the NRA's American Rifleman
Text and photos courtesy of Robert Bruce and the NRA



The U.S. military hopes SABR featuring a 20 mm cannon firing "smart" high-explosive ammunition, a 5.56x45 mm carbine and a sophisticated electro-optic aiming module will give soldiers and Marines a decided edge in the 21st century.

A quiet revolution is well under way to transforming the most basic arm in the American infantryman's arsenal. If things go as planned, large-scale issue of a Selectable Assault Battle Rifle, or SABR, will begin in 2007. SABR is a combination cannon-caliber rifle firing 20 mm High Explosive "smart" ammunition with a computerized, full-ballistic solution, electro-optic fire control system over a more conventional 5.56x45 mm-cal. selective-fire carbine. It is intended to give the U.S. Army and Marine Corps a decided technological advantage over point or area targets, day or night, in the first decades of the 21st century.

The Joint Service Small Arms Program (JSSAP), a division of the U.S. Army's Armaments Research, Development and Engineering Command (ARDEC), is responsible for developing effective infantry arms and related items for use by all of the U.S. Armed Forces. JSSAP began a formal Advanced Technology Demonstration program in 1994 for what was somewhat awkwardly named the "Objective Individual Combat Weapon."

OICW was envisioned as a leap ahead in lethality of the basic infantryman's shoulder arm for the early 21st century. Some of the groundwork for the advanced system had been laid specifically for the "Land Warrior" program, an ambitious and ongoing project intended to integrate the arms and equipment of the near-future infantryman into a practical system.

Right now, the official U.S. military combat rifle is the M16A2 Modular Weapon System (MWS), a 5.56x45 mm-cal. selective-fire assault rifle with a rail-mounting system for hanging everything under the sun on it. Complete with an M203 40 mm grenade launcher, a thermal imaging night sight and a few more gadgets, a combat-loaded MWS tips the scales at more than 24 lbs. and carries a $35,000 price tag. Clearly, there is room for improvement.

While the efficiency of well-aimed rifle fire continues to be hotly debated with highly compelling arguments on both sides many ground combat professionals have long recognized that the best way to increase lethality out to 1,000 meters is through the use of high-explosive rounds. Simply stated, the idea is to consistently deliver airbursts of high explosives close over the heads of the enemy. The challenge then becomes how to give the smallest tactical unit the capability of accurately placing airbursts over immediate adversaries using an arm and ammunition that can be carried and fired by one man.

[leroy8541]

Teaming

When JSSAP asked the armaments industry for input and even provided funds for concept development, two multi-company teams went to work and subsequently submitted prototype designs. After careful evaluation, ARDEC announced in April 1998 that the candidate submitted by Alliant Techsystems had been selected. Some $12 million has since been paid to Alliant for prototype arms that have been subjected to extensive testing.

Alliant, headquartered in Hopkins, Minnesota, remains a leading supplier to the U.S. Armed Forces of a wide variety of munitions and weapons systems. Ably serving as the lead contractor/system integrator for the winning OICW and its amazing 20 mm "smart" ammunition, Alliant has joined forces with several highly respected names in the domestic and international defense industries to develop SABR. Heckler & Koch of Germany manufactures the shooting components, Contraves Brashear of Pittsburgh is responsible for the fire control componentry and Dynamit Nobel of Germany supplies the propellant technology.

HE Grenade Modes

Arguably the most essential element of SABR's capability is its 20 mm High Explosive ammunition, which is literally half the size of the M203's 40 mm round. The trick is to get a balance that includes an acceptable "probability of incapacitation" Pi in Army techspeak out to a range of 1,000 meters from an arm much smaller and lighter than the 75.6-lb. 40 mm Mk 19 Automatic Grenade Launcher that currently serves this purpose.

There is some incredible technowizardry evident in Alliant's 20 mm HE cartridge, which is about the diameter of a nickel, measures 35 8" long and weighs 31 4 ozs. First, dramatic advances in miniaturization technology have enabled the economical manufacture of a tiny but highly intelligent multifunction fuse. Then, using a process proven in current-generation "smart" artillery, a microchip "brain" is automatically set by electronic signals from the fire control computer through a low-voltage induction coil around the chamber of the 20 mm barrel. Because the round is spun by rifling on launching, the computer considers how many revolutions are needed to reach a predetermined range and counts them with astounding precision before detonating.

There are four modes from which the gunner can choose. If an airburst is desired, the operator selects "Bursting" on the Fire Control System (FCS) switch panel. One click down to "PD" arms the fuse in "Point Detonation" mode so that it will go off immediately when it impacts a resistant target; this is also the default setting. If the target is lurking behind a semi-hard barrier, such as an automobile door or interior building wall, the gunner clicks down to "PDD" (Point Detonation Delay). This causes the fuse to function after a brief delay, allowing the warhead to penetrate the target before exploding. "Window" mode is the fourth setting, commanding an airburst at an operator-specified distance beyond a laser-ranged aiming point. One handy use for this is shooting through open windows, doors or other holes in the walls of buildings to get at bad guys hiding deep inside.

While technical details of the Alliant 20 mm round are classified, there are a couple of things that are both obvious and innovative. Because studies have shown that a traditional nose-mounted fuse leads to an inefficient bursting pattern, SABR's fuse rides in the center of the warhead. Fore and aft portions of the 31 4 oz. projectile are made from prefragmented metal of various thicknesses. This is said to result in a highly efficient pattern distribution of both small and large casualty-producing fragments over a significant area. Detonation in airburst mode gives a particularly effective Pi zone, described in early informational handouts as an irregular circle roughly 6 meters in diameter.

Ergonomics

Of course, the round itself would be of little use without an efficient and reliable platform. Heckler & Koch has applied several innovative concepts from its demonstrably effective 12-ga. CAWS (Close Assault Weapon System) of a few years ago, modifying it to handle Alliant's 20 mm round. Aiding weight reduction while imparting no penalty in durability, strength and safety, the rifled barrel of this 20 mm, semi-automatic, recoil-operated, turning-bolt rifle is made of titanium.

To handle the substantial recoil forces, this new shoulder cannon utilizes what Alliant's OICW program manager, Sharon Boone, calls an "elastomeric recoil mitigation system." When the rifle is fired, the barrel and bolt remain locked together as they move rearward where they encounter smoothly progressive resistance from a device that is described as similar to the shock absorber on a mountain bike. Tests show the felt recoil to be only slightly more than that of a standard 5.56x45 mm M16 rifle and one-third of a 7.62x51 mm M14 rifle!

The charging handle is fully ambidextrous and serves as a bolt forward assist. Using a clever mechanical link tucked inside the receiver, the arm is fired using the same pistol grip and trigger housing as that of the underslung 5.56 mm carbine. Ejection may be quickly reset to the housing's left side for southpaws by simply rotating the bolt body 180 degrees in reassembly.
ok computers. Contraves Brashear's integrated, "full ballistic solution" provides the capability to detect animate or inanimate targets during the day or night. It takes an accurate laser range measurement, calculates the ballistic solution, presents the gunner with an adjusted aiming point, and instantaneously sends neces

[leroy8541]

Fire Control System

As remarkable as both the 20 mm HE ammo and its rifle are, they rely on aiming instructions provided by SABR's FCS whose multifunction microprocessors are similar to those in some powerful notebosary information to the fuze of the chambered 20 mm HE round if necessary. All this is packed neatly inside a tough rectangular box not much bigger than a carton of cigarettes and weighing about 5 lbs. including its modified BB2847 lithium battery.

There are three distinct, quickly switchable viewing modes on the FCS, giving the soldier an instantly recognizable variable brightness red-dot reticle that also serves as the built-in laser rangefinder's aiming point. Daytime target acquisition is through a 3X optical scope with an 11 degree field of view. This is the "fail safe mode," essentially unaffected by battery condition or other glitches. Switching to TV mode powers up an internal CCD camera with optional 2X setting that doubles effective target magnification to six power. The Night channel incorporates all of the day video options soon to include the extra advantage of a thermal imaging module literally "seeing" the heat generated by a man or other target as it differs from that of the surroundings.

The operator can tailor the information given to and extracted from the FCS using a set of readily accessible function buttons and switches. Three fingertip touchpads are on the perimeter of the trigger guard in a logical sequence with the top one allowing the laser rangefinder to be activated. The next two give the gunner the option of range adjustment in 1-meter increments by pressing the "+" or "-" icons.

Four "twist/click" switches recessed in the side of the FCS housing are used to select options for viewing channel, fuse setting, viewer magnification and dot brightness. At the rear of the housing, just below the eyepiece, is another touchpad that is used to access the onboard microprocessor and select menu items for customization.

Customizing the FCS

Currently, main data entry options include laser steering and video tracker on/off, range data with and without operator adjustment, as well as compass heading and ammunition type. Additional capabilities include self-diagnostics, boresighting, zeroing and compass calibration. Accurate range data comes from a built-in eye-safe erbium laser with a very narrow beam that is projected in a series of pulses microseconds apart. It delivers a reading that is correct to within plus or minus 1 meter, then the red dot is automatically moved to the correct position in the reticle for a first-round hit. Incredibly, it is also able to compensate for the gunner's wobble at great distances by means of a highly sophisticated program in the system's microprocessors.

Sophisticated Algorithms

While transparent to the user and easily taken for granted, actions of the FCS are by no means routine. That simple, adjusted red-dot aiming point is the product of a dizzying combination of factors previously described and others generated by a built-in sensor module. They are skillfully dealt with by the FCS microprocessor's ballistic algorithm. Among these are cant angle of the arm, site angle (target or gunner up on a hill or tall building), the effect of ambient temperature on air density, ammo characteristics, fuse selection, boresight, and zero variants. Other factors mathematically considered include parallax of the FCS and even minute misalignment of the reticle displays. All of this data is crunched and resolved in less than 100 milliseconds! Depending on the situation, the gunner can quickly tailor the FCS settings for optimum lethality. For example, with multiple targets, choose the TV mode and then switch on the video tracker and laser steering functions provided by Octec of Bracknell, England. This function, we are told, is not unlike the ability of an air traffic controller to mark and follow several planes at once on his radar screen.

The Video Tracking program "sees" a moving target in the viewfinder and identifies it with a bracket icon that moves as the target moves. If the target stops, goes to ground, or gets lost in surrounding vegetation or rubble, the tracking icon stays put at the last known location. When Laser Steering is turned on, it works hand-in-hand with video tracking and is so smart it disregards the inevitable human-induced sight picture wobble and separately considers movement of the target!

The video signal output of the FCS can be fed into Land Warrior's helmet mounted display module, allowing the 5.56 mm carbine to be aimed and fired without the operator having to look through the viewfinder. Theoretically, he can poke the gun over a wall or around a corner and shoot accurately without fully exposing himself to direct fire.

The 5.56x45 mm Carbine

For those times when an ordinary 5.56 mm bullet is the least expensive and most effective way to deal with a tactical situation, SABR offers a custom-modified version of the innovative new H&K G36 assault rifle as its "kinetic energy" component.

Mounted to a sturdy coupling rail underneath the 20 mm unit using an operator-removable pin, this handy little 5.56 mm carbine offers the gunner a selection of semi-auto or two-round-burst operation with a cyclic rate of fire of approximately 700 r.p.m. As with the 20 mm cannon, its charging handle and controls are fully ambidextrous. Aiming is through SABR's main electro-optical fire control system. Despite having a relatively short barrel, it's capable of exceptional accuracy due to a free-floating design and cold hammer forged rifling with current NATO standard twist optimized for SS109/ M855 ammo. In the interest of weight reduction, this barrel is a stainless steel liner inside a titanium sleeve. An important feature of this design is a simple, self-regulating gas system that uses a spring-buffered, short-stroke piston to kick back the bolt with each shot. Unlike the M16, it does not blast gas and fouling directly into the bolt carrier. The six-lug bolt and carrier are of conventional design, riding back and forth on two hefty steel rails wrapped with stainless steel recoil springs. That allows a light carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer housing to serve quite well in place of the traditional steel or aluminum receiver. The SABR's carbine accepts standard M16 magazines.

If necessary, the carbine module can be separated quickly from the rest of SABR by simply removing the captive pin that anchors it to the main housing. Since this is the part with the pistol grip and trigger already attached, the gunner is immediately ready to shoot. Later development is likely to include some sort of rudimentary iron sights. SABR is neatly contained inside a sturdy housing of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer, textured for no-slip handling and colored matte black.

Training & Trials

One means of providing OICW marksmanship training without the firing of expensive 20 mm ammunition may be realized with electronic simulators that use recoiling mockups and computer-generated combat scenarios. Indeed, an impressive system adapted specifically for the OICW has recently been installed at Aberdeen Proving Ground. According to Sam Wansack, Simulation and Fire Control Development chief at Aberdeen, the 12 soldiers involved in initial live-fire tests received primary handling and shooting instruction on a OICW customized SAST II (Small Arms Simulator Testbed). This exciting and eerily realistic virtual reality system, complete with firing sound replication, was developed for JSSAP by the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Directorate and the Army Research Lab. SABR has recently undergone field testing in the not so gentle hands of the U.S. Army's famed 25th "Tropic Lightning" Infantry Division. Their candid feedback is being systematically collected and used for improvements to the system. Subsequent trials are to be conducted in jungle, desert and Arctic environments to see if laboratory results hold up in the real, muddy world of boot soldiers.

Although JSSAP has built in time and money for improvements identified in troop testing and other ongoing experimentation, some insiders question the need for six more years before large-scale production begins. Among reasons for this given by the Army and Alliant are the need to increase the system's capability and decrease its weight. Since we currently enjoy a peacetime disposition, this can be done in a methodical and cost-effective manner.

Timeline

But a funding shortfall, say some insiders, is one of the biggest reasons it may be more than six years before significant numbers of these revolutionary arms begin to reach Army and Marine infantry squads. The schedule could be shortened significantly if Congress would appropriate sufficient funds earmarked specifically for OICW.

Just how much are we talking about? According to projections, one weapons system with FCS is expected to cost about $10,000, and 20 mm HE ammo should cost around $25 per round in quantity production. Current fielding plans call for a minimum of 40,000 units and a and sufficient HE ammo for proficiency training and future wartime contingencies

[leroy8541]

sorry for the long post but this new weapon system gives me a woody.



Semper Fi

[leroy8541]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/military/1998/9/army_wonder_weapon/


more stuff oooyah where was this when we needed it?

[Barndog]

leroy......

Just gimme a Garand. I dont need no stinking 'smart fuses'.
That's the best weapon ever made for the Marine.

Besides the GAU-2b (now GAU-17) out the side of a Huey. Them were fun.

Semper FI