05 Nov 12. CFD Research Corporation has won a $750k project from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) to develop a novel salt based propellant. The objective is to develop and demonstrate a propellant formulation that has improved performance (energy and density) while maintaining low observability and insensitivity. In an earlier project, CFDRC demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing a molecular modeling based approach to guide down-selection of the energetic propellant constituents, followed by their synthesis and characterization. Now, CFDRC, along with university and industry partners, are applying this approach to develop improved performance next generation solid propellant ingredients based on energetic salts. The combination of a computational design of materials approach with experimental synthesis and evaluation increase the efficiency, safety, and success rate of the development project. CFDRC has enlisted ATK as a key partner in this project. Dr. Robert Wardle, director of advanced technologies and products, said, “The innovative use of high-energetic salts in propellant systems offers the potential to create an important technological advancement, which will provide increased performance and handling safety and advance the system for the warfighter.” At the conclusion of the project, one or more compatible energetic materials will have been demonstrated with improved impulse-density (compared with state-of-the-art performance) while maintaining or improving the smoke signature and insensitive munitions (IM) response. (Source: Yahoo!/PRNewswire)
05 Nov 12. General Dynamics Land Systems recently conducted simulated
mine-blast tests that confirmed the ability of its Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) ballistic hull design to meet the U.S. Marine Corps’ current ACV mine-blast survivability requirements. Funded through General Dynamics’ internal research and development initiatives, the tests were conducted by National Technical Systems, Inc., at the National Ordnance and Ballistic Test Center in Camden, Ark. The successful tests simulated an underbelly mine-blast event on the forward and aft sections of the General Dynamics ACV ballistic hull. The tests confirmed that General Dynamics’ hull design meets the Marine Corps’ ACV survivability requirement and provided an early assessment of the unprecedented level of protection against threshold and objective threat levels that the new hull design will provide to the Marines Corps.
06 Nov 12. Brazilian company Mectron – Engenharia, Indústria e Comércio is scheduled in mid-November to begin deliveries of its MSS 1.2 man-portable anti-tank laser-guided missile system to the Brazilian Navy Marine Corps (CFN). The contract, for an undisclosed quantity, was awarded by the Brazilian Navy in November 2009, and deliveries are scheduled to be complete by June or July 2013, company officials told IHS Jane’s. The order includes simulators and support equipment. It follows deliveries to the Brazilian Army that began in October and are to be completed by early 2013. A total of around 500 systems, including missiles and firing units, have to date been procured through separate orders, IHS Jane’s has learned. It is understood that the army chose to buy an average of 12 rounds per firing unit and the navy chose six rounds per firing unit. The 130mm missile is 1. m long, its associated launching tube weighs about 23 kg, and the firing system weighs about 28kg. It has a maximum range of 3,200m, although during trials it was proven effective out to 3,700m, the company said. (Source: Jane’s)
06 Nov 12. Israeli MoD test fires upgraded Iron Dome system. The Israeli Ministry of Defence (IMOD) has successfully test-fired an upgraded version of the Iron Dome anti-rocket defence system from an undisclosed location. Conducted by the IMOD’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure staff, the tests validated the system’s upgraded radar that is