USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Christine Dianne Knott

Christine Marie Michienzi

Charles Stanley Leveritt

Brian J Isle

Christine Marie Walsh

A substantially nitrocellulose-free insensitive gun propellant for barrel-type weapons is provided. The gun propellant includes at least one nitramine, such as HMX and/or RDX, a second energetic, and an inert binder system. The gun propellant is capable of producing a maximum projectile velocity exceeding 2680 ft/sec when fired from a 5 inch 54 caliber gun and gives a response to slow cook-off insensitive munitions testing of Type 4 or higher, and a response to fragment impact insensitive munitions testing of Type 3 or higher as measured by STANAG 4382 and STANAG 4496, respectively. Also provided is an ammunition round assembly, and an armament system.

Insensitive gun propellant, ammunition round assembly, armament system, and related methods

Embodiments of the invention provide munitions that are optimized for both performance and safety. According to various embodiments of the invention, primers are provided having reduced sensitivity by using less sensitive ingredients. The primer formulations according to embodiments of the invention provide primers that are insensitive to stimulants that tend to cause inappropriate ignition of main propelling charges.

Insensitive munitions primers

The present invention comprises an additive to a propelling charge that greatly reduces barrel erosion when used in a gun system compared to the current additives noted above. The invention provides both a high nitrogen to carbon monoxide ratio in the combustion products of the propelling charge in conjunction with a reduced flame temperature which both work to reduce gun-barrel erosion.

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White Plains, MD, United States of America

Christine Dianne Knott