Italy selects Rheinmetall 40mm infantry ammunition
Rheinmetall will supply the Italian armed forces with more than 50,000 rounds of enhanced-performance 40mm x 53 war shot ammunition under a new €8.7 million contract announced on 8 March. Italy joins Canada and Denmark as the third NATO nation to equip its armed forces with the ammunition.
The 40mm x 53 High Velocity High Explosive Dual Purpose Insensitive Munition with Electronic Self Destruct (HV HEDP IM ESD) is designed for use against semi-hard targets and lightly armoured vehicles at ranges of up to 2,200m. The highly accurate enhanced performance ammunition has been developed for use in automatic grenade launchers such as MK19, MK47 and Heckler & Koch GMG.
According to Rheinmetall, the ammunition features a newly developed shaped charge warhead, and is the only 40mm cartridge on the market today that can penetrate 80 mm of RHA steel. The round also has an insensitive propulsion system; and together with its explosive, the round conforms to the insensitive ammunition criteria contained in STANAG 4439 Level/Reaction Type V. An electronic self-destruct mechanism is another important safety feature, designed to minimise the risk of unexploded duds.
You may also like
More from Land Warfare
-
![US Army orders more upgraded Bradleys as transformation threatens other programmes]()
US Army orders more upgraded Bradleys as transformation threatens other programmes
Compared to previous versions of the vehicle, the Bradley M2A4 upgrade includes an uprated suspension, a more powerful engine, an independent commander’s sight, a more capable electronic architecture and improved networking capabilities.
-
![De-Risking the Future: Manufacturing Certainty for Unmanned Systems]()
De-Risking the Future: Manufacturing Certainty for Unmanned Systems
How strategic manufacturing partnership solves the industrialisation triad — Scale, Compliance and Cost — for hyper-growth defence tech innovators.
-
![Battlefield mobility, made in the UK]()
Battlefield mobility, made in the UK
How does Britain ensure that we can preserve the lives of our soldiers and allies – now and in the future – with homegrown innovation and resilient domestic manufacturing? At Pearson Engineering, we are proud to be a central part of the answer to this increasingly important question.
-
![First capability of Israel’s Iron Beam laser to be delivered by the end of December]()
First capability of Israel’s Iron Beam laser to be delivered by the end of December
Iron Beam is a family of high-energy laser weapon systems currently in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and is designed to provide a low-cost kinetic effect against aerial threats at short distances.
-
![Hanwha awarded $482 million in major step for South Korea’s missile defence programme]()
Hanwha awarded $482 million in major step for South Korea’s missile defence programme
The deal to produce and supply launchers and missiles to South Korea follows a contract placed with Hanwha Systems last month for the manufacture of multi-function radars.
