155 mm extended range full-bore smoke BE

Lightweight Towed Howitzer; M46/84 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ). Self-propelled 155 mm howitzers: TAMSE VCA 155; NORINCO PLZ45 Self-propelled Gun-Howitzer; Giat Industries CAESAR 155/52; PzH 2000 ; Rheinmetall M109A3G and M44T ; Majnoon ( Iraq ); Soltam Rascal and Slammer; Otobreda Palmaria and M109L ; K9 Thunder ( South Korea ); ZTS ZUZANA ( Slovakia ); LIW G6; XT-69 ( Taiwan ); AS90 and Braveheart ; M109A4, M109A5 and M109A6 Paladin; XM2001/XM2002 Crusader AFAS. Development The 155 mm ERFB Smoke BE projectile was the first of the ERFB `cargo' rounds to be developed. The basic 155 mm ERFB outline is retained but the method of manufacturing the shell body differs from the `one-piece' ERFB projectiles and there are differences in the payload configurations between European and South African produced designs. During 1996, India placed a contract with Denel of South Africa for a total of 50,000 rounds of 155 mm ERFB ammunition. The contract was worth approximately R840 million (US$24.1 million) and included 5,000 Smoke rounds (type unspecified) reportedly offered at a cost of US$800 to 900 each. Description While the outline of the 155 mm ERFB Smoke BE is the same as that for the 155 mm ERFB HE, the 155 mm ERFB Smoke BE projectile is manufactured in three parts. The main high-grade steel body is manufactured in two halves with the forward aluminium section threading into the main forged steel body without disturbing the constant outline of the streamlined ogive. On the 155 mm ERFB Smoke BE the base unit is a steel drag reducing boat tail component with a cavity. The 155 mm ERFB-BB Smoke BE base is closed by a Base Bleed (BB) unit. The smoke composition used with these projectiles is enclosed in a number of cylindrical metal canisters with a flash channel running through their centres. On `European' 155 mm ERFB and ERFB-BB Smoke BE projectiles, such as those produced by Eurometaal NV, the number of canisters carried is five, two small and three large. South African 155 mm M1 SCM projectiles contain four canisters weighing 13.2 kg and a Hexachloroethane (HC) type composition. Before firing, the usual transport and handling lifting plug is removed and replaced by a MTSQ fuze, such as the M577A1, or an electronic time fuze. When the fuze functions at the selected time after firing, ideally at an optimum height of 400 mm over the target area, it detonates an expulsion charge which creates internal pressures forcing the payload down against the base to remove the base burn or base bleed unit. The same expulsion charge also creates flash to ignite the smoke canister contents so that they burn as soon as they are ejected from the base. The type of smoke produced is usually dense grey/white screening smoke. As a typical example the smoke canisters used with the Eurometaal produced projectiles have two lengths of smoke production time. The two small canisters produce smoke for 60 seconds and the three largest for 120 seconds, sufficient to lay a smoke screen 200 m long, 50 m wide and 30 m high (depending on conditions). The smoke produced by the South African M1 SCM may be white, red, yellow or blue for marking purposes as well as screening. South African 155 mm ERFB projectiles may be converted in the field to remove boat tails from ERFB projectiles and fit base bleed units to produce ERFB-BB projectiles. The process is carried out using a projectile clamping table which can also be used to remove damaged obturators and fit new ones. The table can be folded flat and weighs 25 kg. To take full advantage of the range potential of 155 mm ERFB and ERFB-BB Smoke BE projectiles they are usually fired with high-energy charges, typically the NATO M3A1 (zones 3, 4 and 5), M4A2 (zones 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7), M119A1 (zone 8), M203 (zone 9) or the M11 (zone 10), the latter being restricted to 45 calibre or longer barrels. The propelling system for the LIW 155 mm G5 and G6 gun-howitzers originally involved a three-charge cloth bag system. This has been replaced by a modular system, developed by SOMCHEM , involving combustible cases with a built-in charge retaining device. The system may be used with ERFB (above the basic Charge 2), ERFB-BB projectiles and all 155 mm NATO projectiles. The lowest charge for the Denel modular charge system is the Charge Propelling 155 mm Modular Charge 1 M51 . The combustible container for this charge is red and contains single-base granular propellant. The igniter consists of a combination of 20 g G12 gunpowder and 40 g CBI. The charge weighs approximately 2.3 kg, is 211 mm long and has a diameter of 164 mm. The next charge is the Charge Propelling 155 mm Modular Charge 2 M52 . The combustible case is blue and houses triple-base propellant cords. The diameter at the front of the case is reduced to allow it to friction fit into the rear of a Charge 2 increment (see below). The igniter consists of a combination of 20 g G12 gunpowder and 40 g CBI. The charge weighs 5.6 kg, is 373 mm long and the diameter is 164 mm. This modular system continues with the Charge Propelling 155 mm Modular Increment M52 . One or two of these increments can be added to the normal Charge 2. Charge 2 plus one increment can be used with boat tailed ERFB and all NATO 155 mm projectiles. Charge 2 plus two increments can be used with ERFB, ERFB-BB and all NATO 155 mm projectiles. Each increment is contained in a green combustible case containing triple-base propellant cords. The igniter consists of 60 g of G12 gunpowder. The charge weighs approximately 4 kg, is 289 mm long and the diameter is 164 mm. The top charge of the modular system is the Charge Propelling 155 mm Modular Charge 3 M53 . The charge is contained in a purple (jacaranda) combustible case containing triple-base tubular propellant. The igniter consists of G12 gunpowder. The charge weighs 17.1 kg, is 930 mm long and the diameter is 164 mm. All charges are ignited by the Tube Percussion M82 which contains 1.4 to 1.5 g of gunpowder. The tube is 49.37 mm long with a diameter over the rim of 15.24 mm. With this system the following ballistic performances can be achieved using a 155 mm 45 calibre barrel: Charge 1 - MV 350 ±5 m/s - max range 9,100 m Charge 2 - MV 483 ±5 m/s - max range 13,400 m Charge 2 + 1 increment - MV 645 ±5 m/s - max range 19,000 m Charge 2 + 2 increments - MV 795 ±5 m/s - max range 25,400 m Charge 2 + 2 increments + BB - MV 789 ±5 m/s - max range 31,000 m Charge 3, standard shell - MV 897 ±5 m/s - max range 30,200 m Charge 3 + BB - MV 895 ±5 m/s - max range 39,000 m. A typical range for the 155 mm ERFB Smoke BE when fired from 45 calibre barrels is 30,000 m. When fired from the same calibre length barrel a typical 155 mm ERFB-BB Smoke BE projectile can reach 39,000 m. This modular charge system has now been replaced by one involving up to six M62A1 combustible modular charges all with the same content and meeting the NATO Joint Ballistics MoU. The charges are produced by SOMCHEM and can be used with ordnance up to 52 calibres long. Other similar modular charge systems could be employed. One-piece Combustible Cartridge Cases (CCC) have been developed for use with 155 mm ERFB projectiles. A typical example is the C30 charge manufactured by Chartered Ammunition Industries of Singapore . The C30 contains 14 kg of triple-base propellant, is 770 mm long and has a diameter of 160 mm. It will provide a range of 30,000 m using a 39 calibre barrel and 40,000 m using a 45 calibre barrel. One further charge developed for use with 39 and 45 calibre barrels firing 155 mm ERFB projectiles is the Propelling Charge No 16 produced by Eurometaal NV of the Netherlands. This is a separate loading single-bag charge of single-base nitrocellulose CH21 propellant with a 50 g clean-burning igniter in a red cloth bag sewn onto the base. The charge incorporates a central igniter core and a flash reducer containing 250 g of potassium sulphate. A wear-reducing and decoppering liner are sewn to the inner surface of the bag. The complete charge weighs 13.12 kg, 12.12 kg of which is the CH21 propellant. It is 764 mm long. A variant of the 155 mm ERFB Smoke BB produced in South Africa , the Shell 155 mm Leaflet BE M2, can be used to carry 3,500 leaflets for propaganda or information purposes - see following entry. Authorised fuzes MTSQ M577 series Electronic NINA, ZELAR, Fuchs M8611 and so on Equivalent projectiles CHINA , PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC CHINA Manufacturer China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) Type: 155 mm ERFB Smoke BE Description: Carries two smoke canisters with total weight of 10.9 kg. Larger pot emits smoke for 120 seconds and a smaller pot for 65 seconds. Maximum range given as 26,000 m. A variant, which may be a later development, carries five smoke containers which produce smoke for 100 seconds. Weight of this variant is 44.85 kg and maximum range given as 25,000 m. Fuze is MS-200 ET or MTSQ M577A1 NETHERLANDS Manufacturer Eurometaal NV Type: 155 mm ERFB and ERFB-BB Smoke BE Description: Specifications as text. Available for production. Propelling charge No 16 also produced SOUTH AFRICA Manufacturer SWARTKLIP Products Type: Shell 155 mm Screening Smoke BE M2 Description: Specifications as text. Marketed by Denel SWITZERLAND Manufacturer NORICUM Type: SEN-155 mm HC-Smoke Description: Marketed by T & T Technology Trading Limited. Contains four HC smoke canisters, Weight with boat tail 46.5 kg and BB 48.5 kg