US Army seeks new 155mm munitions

In a sources sought request posted on 11 February 2019, the US Army stated its interest in a new 155mm Cannon-Delivered Area Effects Munition (C-DAEM) anti-personnel, anti-materiel projectile.

Part of the C-DAM Dual-Purpose, Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) replacement strategy, identified as Increment 2, the request seeks to identify the capability of potential manufacturers to demonstrate, qualify and produce a projectile for US military requirements in FY21- FY25.

The projectile, intended to be launched out of M777A2 or 109A6/7 howitzers, must be capable of defeating personnel, light materiel and some armoured targets. As a replacement for the current 155mm DPICM stockpiles, it must feature a cluster munition compliant capability, as well as enhanced lethality, broader target set and extended reach.

Manufacturers looking to win any potential contract must however also consider that any submitted design must be ready for a live-fire demonstration by November 2020, with 20 projectiles to be supplied for conditioning and firing at hot and cold temperatures (ranging from 125 to -25 degrees F).

Historically, DPICM munitions have had a high failure rate (with some 4% of shells fired being duds), and the rise of GPS guided weapons which had superior accuracy led to their limited use in combat. However, with the dangers of electronic warfare potentially hampering GPS, the US has begun to modernise its ‘dumb’ munitions – many of which come from Cold War era stockpiles and are nearing the end of their useful lives.

Most have been converted into training ammunition, such as the M1122, which has one-seventh the explosive impact at one-third the cost of a standard M795 high explosive munition.