Orbital ATK has been contracted to develop advanced multi-purpose (AMP) tank ammunition for the US Army.
Under the $45m contract, the company will develop 120mm AMP rounds for the Abrams main battle tank over the next 30 months.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The contract also includes three exercisable options for initial and full-rate production that could bring the total contract value to $119m.
Orbital ATK Defense Systems Group armament systems division vice-president and general manager Dan Olson said: “Our development of advanced ammunition types provides combat overmatch for the soldier.
“When fielded, AMP will greatly improve the Abrams’ main-gun ammunition capabilities by closing the ATGM and wall breach capability gaps.”
Orbital ATK's AMP rounds will enable the warfighter to defeat anti-tank guided missile teams / dismounted infantry and breach double-reinforced concrete walls.
They will combine the capabilities of four existing 120mm munitions that can be used against light-armour, bunkers and obstacles, allowing the warfighter to carry a single munition for multiple engagement scenarios.
The gunner will use the fire control system through the Abrams’ ammunition data link to programme the AMP fuse for a specific operational mode.
To date, Orbital ATK has delivered more than four million 120mm tank rounds to the US Army, the US Marine Corps, and allied militaries.
The company is in the process of producing the M829A4 Advanced Kinetic Energy round, which can be used against tanks equipped with third-generation reactive armour and active protection systems.
