Name: Shell 105 mm FD HE L31A1, L31A2, L31A3, Fuzed
Availability: InStock

Item Type

Item State

Type

Action

Guidance

Caliber

Weights

L31A1

L31A2

L31A3

Length overall, fuzed

Max range

Southern Asia

India

<h2>Armament</h2><p>RO Defence 105 mm L118 Light Gun; FV433 Abbot; RDM 105 mm M101/37 ; Indian Ordnance Factories 105 mm Light Field Gun and 105 mm Field Gun.</p><h2>Development</h2><p>Originally developed for the 105 mm L13A1 ordnance used on the Vickers Defence Systems FV433 Abbot self-propelled gun, the 105 mm L31 HE projectile series is now more widely used with the Royal Ordnance (now BAE Systems , RO Defence) 105 mm L118 Light Gun as the Abbot has been withdrawn from service by the British Army. However, numbers of Value Engineered Abbots remain in service in India (68), and ammunition similar to the 105 mm L31 HE series has been produced in that country for them and for the locally produced Indian Ordnance Factories 105 mm Light Field Gun and 105 mm Field Gun. The main producers of this round are RO Defence, Ammunition Division. In July 1995, the Spanish Army ordered 56 L118 Light Guns from Royal Ordnance (now BAE Systems , RO Defence). Ammunition for these guns is loaded, assembled and packed in Spain by EXPAL and SANTA BARBARA. RO Defence 105 mm Light Guns are in service in at least 18 countries. Well over 1,000 units have been produced. It should be noted that the 105 mm Light Guns deployed by the US Army are of the M119A1 standard with an L119 ordnance firing ammunition of the 105 mm HE M1 family.</p><h2>Description</h2><p>The 105 mm L31 HE shell is made from forged or cold-extruded high-tensile steel, formed into a streamlined and relatively thin-walled projectile to produce optimum fragmentation and blast effects. The resultant lethal area is stated to be about 25 per cent greater than that for the American 105 mm HE M1 equivalent, with higher consistency in range and accuracy. A single copper driving band is fitted to the lower body. The baseplate is secured by either an overlapping spot weld or seam weld. The 105 mm L31A1 HE main filling is 2.431 kg of RDX/TNT 60/40 Type A together with a filling of RDX/TNT 55/45 Type B. Nominal weight fuzed is 16.103 kg. The L31A2 main filling is 2.3123 kg of creamed TNT. Nominal weight fuzed is 15.984 kg. The L31A3 main filling is 2.392 kg of RDX/TNT 60/40 Type A topped with RDX/TNT or TNT. Nominal weight fuzed is 16.089 kg. The interior wall of the L31A3 shell cavity is bituminous coated while the walls of the L31A1 and L31A2 are copal varnished. All three variants use a canned exploder containing approximately 142 g of RDX/WX8. A groundburst detonation of a 105 mm L31 series HE projectile will result in a lethal area covering 588 m 2 . The Charge system is assembled in brass cartridge cases, Normal (L35A1/A2) having five increments and Super (L36A2/A3), a unitary charge. Ignition is by an electric primer ( L10A1 ) fitted in the cartridge base. Range performance is as follows: Charge 1 (L35A1/A2) - 2,500 to 5,700 m Charge 2 (L35A1/A2) - 2,700 to 7,200 m Charge 3 (L35A1/A2) - 5,900 to 9,500 m Charge 4 (L35A1/A2) - 7,900 to 12,200 m Charge 5 (L35A1/A2) - 15,300 m Super Charge (L36A2/A3) - 17,200 m. Minimum ranges with Charge 1 and 2 require L1A1 spoiler rings to be fitted to the shell. Also available is the Cartridge 105 mm FD Training L45A1 (see separate entry for details). The inert drill round used to represent the 105 mm L31 HE series is the Drill Shell, 105 mm, Field, HE, L1A1 . It has a drill nose fuze (Drill Nose Fuze Percussion DA and Graze L83A1) representing an L32 service fuze, and a drill exploder. The filling is an inert high-explosive substitute. Also available for training purposes is the RO 38-05A1 105 mm practice flash ammunition - (see separate entry for details).</p><h2>Authorised fuzes</h2><p>The L31A1 and L31A2 can use the PD Graze Delay L32, L85A2 and L112, the MT PD L33 and the VT L27 The L31A3 can use the PD Graze Delay L32, L85A1, L85A2, L112 and M557, the MT PD L33 and the VT L27 Equivalent rounds INDIA</p><p>INDIA</p><h2>Manufacturer</h2><p>Indian Ordnance Factory, Khamaria</p><p>Jabalpur</p><p>Type: 105 mm QF - HE</p><p>Description: Fitted with PD Fuze 117 Mk 20. Weight of projectile is 16.4 kg and explosive charge</p><p>given as 2.38 kg</p>

The Shell 105 mm FD HE L31A1, L31A2, L31A3, Fuzed is the 105 mm L31 HE shell is made from forged or cold-extruded high-tensile steel, formed into a streamlined and relatively thin-walled projectile to produce optimum fragmentation and blast effects. The resultant lethal area is stated to be about 25 per cent greater than that for the American 105 mm HE M1 equivalent, with higher consistency in range and accuracy. A single copper driving band is fitted to the lower body. The baseplate is secured by either an overlapping spot weld or seam weld. The 105 mm L31A1 HE main filling is 2.431 kg of RDX/TNT 60/40 Type A together with a filling of RDX/TNT 55/45 Type B. Nominal weight fuzed is 16.103 kg. The L31A2 main filling is 2.3123 kg of creamed TNT. Nominal weight fuzed is 15.984 kg. The L31A3 main filling is 2.392 kg of RDX/TNT 60/40 Type A topped with RDX/TNT or TNT. Nominal weight fuzed is 16.089 kg. The interior wall of the L31A3 shell cavity is bituminous coated while the walls of the L31A1 and L31A2 are copal varnished.

All three variants use a canned exploder containing approximately 142 g of RDX/WX8. A groundburst detonation of a 105 mm L31 series HE projectile will result in a lethal area covering 588 m 2. The Charge system is assembled in brass cartridge cases, Normal (L35A1/A2) having five increments and Super (L36A2/A3), a unitary charge. Ignition is by an electric primer ( L10A1 ) fitted in the cartridge base. Range performance is as follows: Charge 1 (L35A1/A2) - 2,500 to 5,700 m Charge 2 (L35A1/A2) - 2,700 to 7,200 m Charge 3 (L35A1/A2) - 5,900 to 9,500 m Charge 4 (L35A1/A2) - 7,900 to 12,200 m Charge 5 (L35A1/A2) - 15,300 m Super Charge (L36A2/A3) - 17,200 m. Minimum ranges with Charge 1 and 2 require L1A1 spoiler rings to be fitted to the shell. Also available is the Cartridge 105 mm FD Training L45A1 (see separate entry for details). The inert drill round used to represent the 105 mm L31 HE series is the Drill Shell, 105 mm, Field, HE, L1A1. It has a drill nose fuze (Drill Nose Fuze Percussion DA and Graze L83A1) representing an L32 service fuze, and a drill exploder. The filling is an inert high-explosive substitute.

Shell 105 mm FD HE L31A1, L31A2, L31A3, Fuzed

Shell 105 mm FD HE L31A1, L31A2, L31A3, Fuzed

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