120 mm illumination bomb, XM930/M983

and 2,000 M983 for US$3.5 million. Excluding non-recurring costs the unit price of the XM930 in FY02 is US$1,888, the main components of which are US$381 for the loading, assembly and packing at Pine Bluff Arsenal, US$286 for the projectile metal bodies from Chamberlain, US$276 for the visible-light canister from Crane Army Ammunition Activity, US$140 for the M776 MTSQ fuze from Diehl and US$58 for the parachute assembly from Paranetics Technology. The unit price of the M983 is US$1,939, reflecting a cost of US$316 for the IR light canister. In September 2001, Chamberlain was awarded a contract for development of alternate materials for the projectile body. The current rounds use a two-piece body (front and rear portions) both made of AISI 1090 steel. This particular alloy is susceptible to quench cracking and problems have been encountered with cracked bodies during initial production. The goal of this effort is to qualify a replacement steel with equal or greater strength (minimum 100 KSI yield strength and 12 per cent minimum elongation) that will significantly reduce the potential for quench cracking and improve the machinability of the material and thus reduce cost. Description The round consists of a fuze, propellant charge, fin assembly, ignition cartridge, body of wrought carbon steel, tail cone assembly, illuminating candle, and parachute assembly. The ignition cartridge has a percussion primer and is assembled to the end of the fin assembly. The propellant charge is contained in four horseshoe-shaped felt-fibre containers and assembled around the fin assembly shaft. When the fuze functions it initiates the candle assembly and separates the front and rear projectile segments. A spring located in the rear body ejects the parachute assembly. The two rounds are identical except for the illuminant canister. The XM930 produces white light, while the M983 produces light in the IR spectrum for use with standard night-vision devices.