Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Acquires Rights to PELE and ALP Technology
03 November 2006 16:50
Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH, of Ratingen, Germany, has just acquired the industrial property and trademark rights for the Penetrator with Enhanced Lateral Effect (PELE), and Active Lateral Penetrator (ALP), from the Swiss-based company futurtec AG. The two technologies significantly enhance the effectiveness and versatility of existing ammunition.
Rheinmetall plans to market theses systems in conjunction with ammunition procurement and upgrade programmes both at home and abroad. Negotiations are currently underway with Diehl BGT Defence GmbH & Co. KG, from Überlingen, Germany, to acquire licences in various special calibre segments.
PELE and ALP can be used in all types of tube-fired artillery ammunition as well as rockets and missiles, as their innovative technologies modify their performance characteristics, enabling them to meet current and future military-requirements. Extensively tested, PELE and ALP significantly enhance the accuracy of tank and artillery fire, substantially reducing the risk of collateral damage.
Additional benefits of the PELE and ALP include the possibility of manufacturing warheads containing little or no explosive. Moreover, existing ammunition can be inexpensively retrofitted with PELE and ALP technology. Both technologies can be integrated in full- and sub-calibre rounds, and fired from current and future weapon systems.
PELE technology makes it possible to produce fully-inert projectiles. Non-explosive PELE ammunition consists of a high-density casing containing a core made of low-density, low-compressibility material. Upon impact with the target, the low-density material inside the shell is compressed to such an extent that the casing bursts, generating numerous fragments that are propelled in the direction of fire. Consequently, the round's lethal impact is restricted to a defined space or limited area, reducing the risk of collateral damage.
The Active Lateral Penetrator takes the PELE principle a step further: ALP technology can be used to create a highly-effective inert-penetrator or a delayed-action shell containing small amounts of explosive; the ratio between penetrating power and lateral impact can be adjusted in the process.
With an Active Lateral Penetrator, the projectile's final ballistic impact in and on the target is attained with a small amount of explosive that can be activated irrespective of the charge's position. This creates a pressure field which is transmitted via an inert conducting-medium (such as liquid, plastic or metal) to the surrounding shell casing, causing it to burst into fragments or release a swarm of sub-projectiles.
For more information on this company:
Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH - Large Calibre Weapon Systems and Ammunition
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