1. Safety, Reliability & Performance of the Ahead (ABM) Programmable Fuze System NDIA 39th Annual Gun & Ammunition Baltimore, MD Apr , 2004
Presented by:
Allan Buckley
Director Product Management
Oerlikon Contraves Pyrotec AG
CH-8050 Zurich / Switzerland

2. Ahead: The AIR BURST Technology for Medium Calibre Ammunition

3. Ahead (ABM) for Air Defense and Vehicle Armament
Application IFV:
Programmer
Target
Payload Ejection
Payload: Subprojectile
ABM Projectile
Vo Measurement
Fuze
Programming
Fire Control Unit
ABM Electronics
F DE

4. Ahead (ABM) KETF Projectile Concept Outline
Time
Programmable Payload
Electronic Fuze
Power Ejection
Supply Charge Subprojectiles
Explosive Train (W-Alloy)
(Squib, S&A, Deto)
Data Electronic
Receiver Timer Module
Coil (ETM)
(Setback Generator)
F BB

5. Ahead (ABM) Fuze Module
Ignition System / Squib
Electronic Timer Module / ETM 40F
Set-Back Generator
F CE

6. Safety Criteria for Ahead (ABM) KETF Fuze
MECHANICAL FUZES
ABM AHEAD KETF FUZE
Storage
Ignition Energy
Mechanically Stored
Ignition Energy
Chemically Stored
Ignition Energy
Completely Inert
Ignition Energy
Chemically Stored
Axial Acceleration
Safe Lock 1
Axial
Acceleration
Safe Lock 1
Axial Acceleration
Rotation
Ignition Energy
Electrically Stored
Safe Lock 2 Rotation
Electr. Muzzle Safety
(embedded)
Safe Lock 2 Rotation
Exterior Shock
DETONATION
DUD
No Impact Sensor
Interior Ignition Trigger
DUD
SELF-DESTRUCT
PROGR.: DETONATION / SD
DUD
F A1

7. Ahead (ABM) KETF Fuze: Life Cycle Events - Summary
Phases:
Barrel
Muzzle Area
Operational Range
Storage
Post Range
0 ms
Muzzle
64 ms
8192 ms
>10000 ms
Propellant
Cartridge Percussion
Axial Lock
SAFE
Rupture Disc Punched (Set-Back Generator)
Electrical Energy
Capacitors Loaded
Capacitors Totally Discharged
Rotation Lock
SAFE
Detonator In Armed Position
No Ignition Energy
No Ignition Energy
Electronic Muzzle Safety
Programming Window
No Time Programming Possible (ECM Proof)
Electronics
Time Programming
Programmed Payload Ejection
Self-Destruct
0< 5 10 50
100
1000
10000 ms
F A5

8. Ahead (ABM) System Function Reliability
Theoretical Reliability Prediction according:
MIL Handbooks 217F2 & 338
Results of ABM System Ahead Reliability:
In Theory > 97%
In Practice > 97%
F AA

9. 35 mm Ahead (ABM) HETF Programmable Payload Delivery
Precise Time Space Payload Delivery up to 5000 rd/min!
10 Rds between 1200 m & 300 m every 100 m!
10th Rd: 300 m
1st Rd: 1200 m M
„String of Pearls“ at 550 rd/min of 35mm Ahead-HETF Ammo
F CC

10. Compensation of the Muzzle Velocity Variation
The Standard Deviation of the Projectile Position in the Firing Direction:
without Compensation of the MV Variation: proportional to MV Variation Sv (Sv = Std Deviation of MV). i.e. approx. = ToF x Sv
with the Compensation of the MV Variation: 1 m pro second ToF.
ToF: Time of Flight
Without Compensation
With Compensation M M
Burst of 7 Rounds 35mm Ahead-HETF Ammo at 1.6 km Range
F CD

11. 30mm x 173 Ahead (ABM) KETF Subprojectile Payload: Layout & Footprint
Version: 27 SP x 5 Layers (1.5 g) (Simulation after 500μs)
Layout of the Subprojectiles SP (1.24 g each) SP x 6 Layers
Payload-Footprint on 1 x 1 m Al -Plate after Ejection of the 162 SP (4 ms after ignition )
TM P-T B10_MVC-577F
F AB

12. 30mm x 173 Ahead (ABM) KETF Subprojectile Dynamic Parameter
Payload Ejection at 500 m Range (Cone of 12° Opening Angle)
80%
Subprojectile-Density (#/m2)
Velocity & Perforation (%)
85% 3
90% 5 12
55.4 m2 (8.4 m)
Striking Area (Diameter)
94%
Projectile (162 SP)
31.3 m2 (6.3 m) 46
12°
13.9 m2 (4.2 m)
100%
3.5 m2 (2.1 m)
Distance (m)
F CD

13. 30mm x 173 Ahead (ABM) KETF Subprojectile Penetration Capability
Mild Steel Plate Thickness Penetrated [mm]
Subprojectile (SP): 1.24 g # SP per Round: Target Plate: Mild Steel
Range of Subprojectiles [m]

14. 30mm x 173 Ahead (ABM) KETF: 3 Rd Burst Effectiveness against ATGW-Bunker at 1 km
Notice: ATGW: Anti-Tank Guided Weapon
Results: Numerous Full Perforations / 100% Damage (Demo: Dec.1999)
F BB

15. 30mm x 173 Ahead (ABM) KETF: 5 Round Burst against Squad of 7 - Target
Target: Squad of (Field: 2 x 38m)
Target Field
The video shows a 5 round burst fired to the target field (firing rate: 200 rd/min).
Distance between rounds: 9 m
Multiple perforations in each of the 7 target plates (2mm Fe):
13 Perforations/m2 on Average.
M A8
F A84

16. 30mm x 173 Ahead (ABM) KETF against Urban Target (Unprogrammed Fuze)
Target: cm Concrete Wall with double Steel-Structure Reinforced
Range: 500 m
Results: Target Fully Penetrated
M BA
F BB

17. 3 Rd Burst against an ATGW Bunker at 1500 m
35mm x 228 Ahead (ABM) KETF & HETF against ATGW-Bunker
HETF (Blast Fragmentation)
KETF (Subprojectiles)
Pk-Value
Lethality of a
3 Rd Burst against an ATGW Bunker at 1500 m
F BA

18. Ahead (ABM) KETF: Ahead Technology Main Safety Features
Power Supply: Set Back Generator (Activation over 28‘000 g); i.e no Battery
Full Gun Unload Safety
Safe & Arm: Mechanical & Electronic
Time Programming of less than 64 ms not accepted (Default: Self Destruct )
Each Bit programmed with Double Pulse
Completeness Check on 12 Bit Message (if negative: Self Destruct On!)
If no fuze programming required or possible: automatically Self Destruct On
No Impact Sensor in Fuze: firing through bushes & tree branches w/o burst
Total HE content less than 0.6 g for 30mm
F CE

19. One Ahead (ABM) Fuze System - Two Different Warhead Configurations
30mm x 173
35mm x 228
Subprojectile Warhead KETF (Kinetic Energy Time Fuze)
Fuze
Blast Fragmentation Warhead HETF (High Explosive Time Fuze)
40mm x 53
Scale:
F BC

20. Ahead (ABM) HETF Basic Concept for 40mm x 53 Automatic Grenade Launcher AGL
T A R G E T
Conventional HE Round (PD-Fuze)
Optimum for Air Burst Munition
F BA

21. 40 mm x 53 Ahead (ABM) HETF Firing Trials at 200 m & 1000 m Range
Remarks:
No fragments are flying backwards!
Firing Rate up to 570 rd/min (AGL-ST-Kinetics)
6008
6008
M BA
F BB

22. Ahead (ABM) System Milestones
• bit - transmission demonstrated on a 20 mm shell at muzzle exit (1st “Ahead-like” programming)
• mm Ahead - Ammunition: technical presentation to international ammo experts /OCP- Test Center
• NATO qualification of the Ahead system (Canada)
• Demonstration of ABM 30 mm x 173 prototype
• Demonstration of ABM 40 mm x 53 prototype for AGL
• End mm Ahead ABM Systems fielded in 8 countries.
In evaluation / procurement in several others.
- 30 mm x 173/170 & 40 mm x 53 ABM in evaluation in several countries.
F BC

23. 35mm Ahead (ABM) KETF Detonation in Ammo Box
Ejection Charge (0.9 g HE) of One Round Detonated
Result: no damage occurs to the other packed rounds and therefore no sympathetic detonation possible
F A6