Name: Ammunition for Cockerill and ENGESA 90 mm guns
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<h2>Armament</h2><p>Cockerill Mk II, III and III MA1 guns; ENGESA EC-90 guns.</p><h2>Development</h2><p>The development of the first Cockerill 90 mm light gun system began during 1974. The first production gun, the Mk 1, was replaced by the Mk II which had a revised recoil mechanism. The Mk II was eventually joined by the Mk III which uses a triple-baffle muzzle brake, as opposed to the MECAR devised Mk III MA1 which has a single-baffle muzzle brake to enable the gun to fire an APFSDS-T round. The latter features were available as an enhancement for existing Mk II and III Cockerill Guns. Over 2,000 Cockerill Guns were produced for service throughout the world. Licensed production of the Cockerill Mk II was undertaken in Brazil by ENGESA Engenheiros Espacializados SA. The resultant gun, the EC-90, was further developed by ENGESA with revised recoil lengths. It is fitted to many Brazilian produced armoured vehicles such as the EE-9 Cascavel reconnaissance vehicle, the EE-11 Urutu APC and the X1A2 light tank. This gun is no longer produced. The 90 mm ammunition for the Cockerill Guns is produced by: MECAR SA, Belgium; ENGEQUÍMICA, Brazil ; BAE Systems , RO Defence, UK; and Giat Industries, France. During 1994, MECAR SA released its modernised range of 90 mm ammunition, denoted by the suffix A1. This included the introduction of two independent in-bore safeties on the HEAT-T, HE-T, SMK(WP)-T and HESH-T; well over 100,000 rounds have been produced. MECAR SA now produces only A1 standard rounds. In late 1990, Royal Ordnance plc (now BAE Systems , RO Defence) signed an agreement with Cockerill Mechanical Industries, of Belgium, to become the sole authorised manufacturers of 90 mm Cockerill Gun Mk III ammunition. The 90 mm rounds for the Cockerill Gun Mk III, were originally developed by PRB SA of Belgium in co-operation with Cockerill Mechanical Industries (CMI). After qualification by CMI, 90 mm ammunition was produced by PRB SA but, following the demise of that concern, production is now undertaken by Giat Industries of France. Significant stocks of PRB produced 90 mm Cockerill Gun ammunition remain with many users so a checklist of PRB designations is provided in the text, the same designations being used by Giat Industries' products.</p><h2>Description</h2><p>All rounds for the 90 mm Mk II and III Cockerill Guns are fixed with the finned steel projectiles, crimped into their cartridge cases by a 360º crimping ring. The drive bands are gilding metal or copper. Cartridge cases produced by MECAR SA are brass. In all cases, other than the MECAR 90 mm APFSDS-T M652, a cool burning single-base propellant is used along with a percussion primer. The projectiles all have fin assemblies for in-flight stabilisation with each fin assembly having four fixed T-shaped fins. The 90 mm rounds are provided with special graze action fuzes with two independent safeties which comply with MIL-STD-1316. These fuzes function at very small impact angles, for example as small as 2º incidence, and a tail-mounted tracer element that burns for 4 seconds after firing. In all cases the fuze muzzle safety distance is a minimum of 25 m. A full listing of 90 mm rounds for the Mk II and III Cockerill Guns follows. HE-T MECAR M616A1. Intended for general purpose blast and fragmentation, this round has a steel projectile filled with 1.02 kg of Composition B. The round is fitted with a nose-mounted double safety fuze which complies with MIL-STD-1316. This fuze has a switch which can be set by the firer at PD or Delay. Fired at a muzzle velocity of 700 m/s, the projectile has an operational range of 800 m and a maximum effective range of 2,200 m. The MECAR training round equivalent to the 90 mm HE-T M616A1 is the HE-T (PRAC) M638. The RO Defence equivalent to this HE-T is the 90 mm HE-T RO 924, which weighs 8.5 kg, and the projectile is filled with TNT/HNS. The round length is 631 mm while maximum effective range is 2,200 m. RO Defence also produced a 90 mm HE-APERS RO 925 round, with which fragmentation of the TNT filled projectile is augmented by the inclusion of a prenotched internal fragmentation sleeve combined with a fast reaction percussion fuze. This round has a maximum effective range of 6,000 m using indirect fire techniques. The HE-APERS RO 925 round weighs 11 kg and is 675 mm long. Muzzle velocity is 330 m/s. This round is no longer marketed. The 90 mm HE-T round produced by Giat Industries weighs 8.5 kg and is 631.5 mm long. Projectile weight is 5.1 kg and propellant weight 1 kg. The PRB or Giat Industries designation for the 90 mm HE-T round is HE-T NR501. The PRB equivalent to the HE-T (PRAC) was the HE-TP-T NR558. SMK(WP)-T MECAR M618A1. Intended to produce smoke for screening, target marking, signalling or incendiary purposes this round contains 1.12 kg of White Phosphorus (WP). The nose-mounted fuze involved is a special double safety fuze (complying with MIL-STD-1316) which ignites an internal burster charge to disperse the smoke producing WP. The ballistics of this round the same as the 90 mm HE-T M616A1. The range is 800 mm and maximum effective range 2,000 m. The MECAR training round equivalent to the 90 mm SMK(WP)-T M618A1 is the HE-T (PRAC) M638A1. RO Defence produces the 90 mm Smoke-WP-T RO 932 round weighing 8.5 kg. Round length is 631 mm and muzzle velocity 695 m/s. Maximum effective range is 2,200 m. The PRB or Giat Industries designation for the Smoke WP round is Smoke-WP-T NR502. The PRB equivalent to the MECAR training round HE-T (PRAC) was the HE-TP-T NR558. This round is no longer in series production by Giat Industries. HEAT-T MECAR M620A1. This round is intended primarily for use against armoured targets and has a metal lined shaped charge, containing 510 g of Composition A-3 (RDX/Wax 91/9) which can penetrate 300 mm of RHA or 1 m of concrete. Muzzle velocity is 900 m/s. The operational range is 1,000 m and maximum effective range is 1,500 m. The MECAR training round equivalent to the 90 mm HEAT-T M620A1 is the HEAT-TP-T M623A1. RO Defence produces the 90 mm HEAT-T RO 907. This round has a 2 kg 60:40 RDX/TNT shaped warhead lined with a copper cone and is 645 mm in length. Round weight is 7.3 kg and muzzle velocity 896 m/s. Maximum effective range is 1,500 m. Royal Ordnance have produced the 90 mm HEAT-TP-T RO 940, a low-cost training round which can be used as a multipurpose training round for the entire Royal Ordnance 90 mm ammunition suite. The 90 mm HEAT-T round produced by Giat Industries weighs 7.7 kg and is 630 mm long. Projectile weight is 4.1 kg and propellant weight 1.2 kg. A matching HEAT-TP-T round is also produced. The PRB or Giat Industries designation for the HEAT-T round is HEAT-T NR478. The PRB/Giat Industries equivalent to the HEAT-T (PRAC) is the HEAT-TP-T NR479. CNT MECAR M621A1. The abbreviation CNT stands for Canister and, as with other rounds of its type, it is a short-range anti-personnel `shotgun' round containing 1,300 lead spheres, each 8.5 mm in diameter and having a total weight of 5.1 kg. The spheres are contained in a blunt-nosed light steel sheet cylindrical casing with longitudinal grooves in the sides. On firing, a combination of centrifugal and aerodynamic forces cause the casing to split open along the longitudinal grooves and disperse the lead spheres forward in an 18º cone, to a maximum operational range of 200 m. At that range the cone will be 9 m wide. Initial muzzle velocity is 700 m/s. RO Defence produce the 90 mm Canister RO 933 which fires 1,200 metal spheres to a maximum effective range of 220 m and a muzzle velocity of 200 m/s. The RO 933 round weighs 6.4 kg and is 352 mm long. ENGEQUÍMICA of Brazil produces its own design of 90 mm Canister round which is stated to have a muzzle velocity of 600 m/s and a maximum operational range of 700 m. The designation is 90G shrapnel. The PRB or Giat Industries designation for this type of round is Canister NR125. This round is no longer in series production by Giat Industries. HESH-T MECAR M625A1. This round is intended for use against armoured targets, although it is also effective against concrete bunkers and structures. It has a round-nosed thin-walled steel projectile containing 1.3 kg of Composition A-3 (RDX/Wax 91/9). On contact with a target the thin steel projectile walls collapse to spread the explosive filling in a `plaster' across the target surface before the delayed action BD/Graze fuze functions to detonate the filling. The resultant detonation forces and blast are then directed over the target surface and transmitted through the target material. When used against RHA, the resultant forces are sufficient to create severe internal spalling effects, usually in the form of a fragment weighing approximately 5 kg which travels at a high velocity inside the target. The muzzle velocity of this round is 750 m/s and operational range 800 m. The MECAR training round equivalent to the 90 mm HESH-T M625A1 is the HESH-TP-T M655A1. RO Defence produces the fin-stabilised 90 mm HESH-T RO 929, described as a multifunction round with an 2.4 kg Composition B warhead. Weight is 7.7 kg and round length 591 mm. Muzzle velocity is 790 m/s and maximum effective range 1,200 m. The 90 mm HESH-T round produced by Giat Industries weighs 7.5 kg and is 591 mm long. Projectile weight is 4.3 kg and propellant weight 1.15 kg. The PRB or Giat Industries designation for this type of round is HESH-T NR503. APFSDS-T MECAR M652A1. This round is used only with the Cockerill Mk III MA1 gun which has a single-baffle muzzle brake. It has a 2.5 kg projectile assembly carrying a monobloc tungsten alloy long rod penetrator. The penetrator is 426 mm long, contained in a three-piece aluminium discarding sabot. It is held in place by a plastic band at the forward end and a plastic obturating band toward the sabot case. A tracer element, which burns for 4 seconds after firing, is located in the penetrator fin assembly. The projectile assembly is crimped to the cartridge case which is filled with 1.8 kg of loose, cool burning, multiperforated propellant. The muzzle velocity is approximately 1,200 m/s and the penetrator can pierce 100 mm of armour set at an angle of 60º, at combat ranges of 1,500 m. Penetrator time of flight to 1,500 m is less than 1.4 seconds. The effective range is more than 1,500 m and accuracy error less than 0.3 mil. The effective operational range of the M652A1 is more than 1,500 m. The equivalent MECAR training round to the 90 mm APFSDS-T M652A1 is the 90 mm TPFSDS-T M663. It has the same external ballistics as the APFSDS-T M652A1 but the penetrator rod is steel. ENGEQUÍMICA of Brazil also developed a 90 mm APFSDS-T round which has been in production since 1988. The penetrator length-to-diameter ratio is 17:1 with a penetrator diameter of 22 mm. Penetrator weight is 2.06 kg and projectile weight (with sabot) is 3.225 kg. Muzzle velocity is 1,150 m/s. It is stated that this round can penetrate a NATO medium tank target at a range of 1,100 m; effective range is up to 3,000 m and accuracy 0.6 mil at 1,000 m. The RO Defence 90 mm APFSDS round is the RO 964. It has a muzzle velocity of 1,080 m/s and the complete round weighs 6.3 kg. It was designed to defeat 130 mm of RHA at 1,000 m. The PRB or Giat Industries designation for their APFSDS-T round was the NR232; it is no longer available. Training devices MECAR SA produces a special subcalibre training device for use with the 90 mm Cockerill Mk II and III guns, known as the TD-20-90 M640. It consists of a one-piece training device resembling a complete 90 mm round with a 20 mm 12-groove right-hand twist barrel running along the centre length of the device. A special 20 mm Target Practice round, the TP-20-90 M634, is hand loaded into a breech in the base of the device which is loaded and fired as if it were a conventional piece of 90 mm ammunition. The 20 mm projectile can be fired to normal combat ranges. The barrel of the TD-20-90 has a life of several thousand rounds. The device is 700 mm long and weighs 7.3 kg. Muzzle velocity of the 20 mm projectile is 750 m/s. It is fired using a percussion primer initiated by the gun's normal firing mechanism. The TP-20-90 round is 185 mm long and weighs 190 g. It has a tracer which burns for 4 seconds. CMI (Cockerill Mechanical Industries) markets another subcalibre barrel insert training device based on the use of special Oerlikon Contraves Pyrotec 20 mm TP-T ammunition. The 85-calibre barrel insert occupies the entire length of the barrel and is loaded through the normal breech block. The firing range of 800 to 1,000 m is the same ballistically as for full-calibre ammunition. The TP-T cartridge, the ULA 226 TPT is 203.5 mm long and weighs 320 to 340 g. Dynamit Nobel also offer a subcalibre training device for 90 mm Mk III guns, this time a 14.5 mm device with a training range of 100 m to allow small training areas to be utilised. The 28-calibre single-shot device is inserted into the open breech of the gun and is loaded with 51 mm long cartridges weighing approximately 70 g. The TP-T cartridges simulate the full calibre HEAT-T and HESH-T projectiles and are fired with a muzzle velocity of 150 m/s to a training range of 100 m.</p><h2>Authorised fuzes</h2><p>See text Equivalent rounds BELGIUM</p><p>BELGIUM</p><h2>Manufacturer</h2><p>MECAR SA</p><p>Type: See text</p><p>Description: See text and specifications</p><p>BRAZIL</p><h2>Manufacturer</h2><p>ENGEQUÍMICA</p><p>Type: HE-T, HEAT-T, HEAT-TP-T, HESH-T, Smoke (WP)-T, APFSDS-T, Canister</p><p>Description: Standard specifications - see text</p><h2>Manufacturer</h2><p>FI Indústria e Comércio Ltda</p><p>Type: HE-T, HEAT-T, HEAT-TP-T, APFSDS-T</p><p>Description: Standard specifications</p><p>FRANCE</p><h2>Manufacturer</h2><p>Giat Industries</p><p>Type: HEAT-T, HEAT-TP-T, HE-T, HESH-T</p><p>Description: See text</p><p>UNITED KINGDOM</p><h2>Manufacturer</h2><p>BAE Systems , RO Defence</p><p>Type: See text</p><p>Description: See text</p>

The Ammunition for Cockerill and ENGESA 90 mm guns is all rounds for the 90 mm Mk II and III Cockerill Guns are fixed with the finned steel projectiles, crimped into their cartridge cases by a 360º crimping ring. The drive bands are gilding metal or copper. Cartridge cases produced by MECAR SA are brass. In all cases, other than the MECAR 90 mm APFSDS-T M652, a cool burning single-base propellant is used along with a percussion primer. The projectiles all have fin assemblies for in-flight stabilisation with each fin assembly having four fixed T-shaped fins. The 90 mm rounds are provided with special graze action fuzes with two independent safeties which comply with MIL-STD-1316. These fuzes function at very small impact angles, for example as small as 2º incidence, and a tail-mounted tracer element that burns for 4 seconds after firing. In all cases the fuze muzzle safety distance is a minimum of 25 m. A full listing of 90 mm rounds for the Mk II and III Cockerill Guns follows. Intended for general purpose blast and fragmentation, this round has a steel projectile filled with 1.02 kg of Composition B. The round is fitted with a nose-mounted double safety fuze which complies with MIL-STD-1316.

The RO 933 round weighs 6.4 kg and is 352 mm long. ENGEQUÍMICA of Brazil produces its own design of 90 mm Canister round which is stated to have a muzzle velocity of 600 m/s and a maximum operational range of 700 m. The designation is 90G shrapnel. The PRB or Giat Industries designation for this type of round is Canister NR125. This round is intended for use against armoured targets, although it is also effective against concrete bunkers and structures. It has a round-nosed thin-walled steel projectile containing 1.3 kg of Composition A-3 (RDX/Wax 91/9). On contact with a target the thin steel projectile walls collapse to spread the explosive filling in a 'plaster' across the target surface before the delayed action BD/Graze fuze functions to detonate the filling. The resultant detonation forces and blast are then directed over the target surface and transmitted through the target material. When used against RHA, the resultant forces are sufficient to create severe internal spalling effects, usually in the form of a fragment weighing approximately 5 kg which travels at a high velocity inside the target.

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Ammunition for Cockerill and ENGESA 90 mm guns

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