Australian firm to produce F-35 cannon ammo

[spazsinbad]

Australian firm to produce F-35 cannon ammo
26 Mar 2020 Greg Waldron

"Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions (RNM) plans to produce 25mm cannon ammunition for use by the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter.

A new production line will be set up at a government-owned factory in the first half of 2021 to produce 25mm Frangible Armored Piercing (FAP) projectiles.

The ammunition will be available for the global F-35 user base, and will serve as a secondary source of cannon ammunition for USA operated F-35s.

RNM is a joint venture between Australia-owned NIOA and Rheinmetall Waffe Munitions...."

Source: https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing ... 42.article

[spazsinbad]

New armour piercing round launched for F-35
14 Mar 2019

"...Importantly, the FAP technology contains no explosives, ensuring maximum safety in the aircraft or in storage and transportation, as well as enabling it to be used in training.”

The 25mm FAP ammunition expands Rheinmetall’s munitions activities in Australia. The company is working with its munitions partner NIOA to establish and operate a $60 million 155mm artillery shell forging facility in Maryborough, Queensland. The plant is designed to be able to manufacture steel artillery shell cases for the domestic and export markets.

The Queensland Government recently announced that it will contribute $7.5 million towards the build.

The FAP round was specifically developed by Rheinmetall for NATO air forces to provide the F-35 a non-DU and non-HE cartridge to engage modern Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) at extreme slant ranges while still able to engage aircraft in air-to-air engagements.

Unlike conventional aircraft ammunition, FAP cartridges do not ricochet as the projectile core disintegrates upon impact."

Source: https://www.australiandefence.com.au/ne ... d-for-f-35

Innovative Designs to Improve Medium Calibre Ammunition Effectiveness Parari 22-11-2017 Eelko van Meerten
https://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/conference ... 0Cal_0.pdf (4.6Mb)

[sprstdlyscottsmn]

nice!

[steve2267]

I still have an interest in the APEX round by NAMMO. Not clear who is buying the NAMMO stuff though. It is an exploding round. Seems to me there is a usefulness to a round that goes kaboom.