Advanced Ammunition and Gun System to Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar Attacks

, MINNEAPOLIS: Alliant Techsystems has received a $4.6 million contract from the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), Picatinny, New Jersey, to develop and demonstrate a next-generation ammunition and gun system for the Army's Extended Area Protection & Survivability (EAPS) program. 
 
EAPS technologies are being developed to counter incoming enemy rocket, artillery and mortar (RAM) attacks against U.S. and allied troops. 
 
During the 24-month development program, ATK and ARDEC will incorporate advanced technologies into a 50mm projectile that will be fired from a variant of ATK's battle-proven Bushmaster cannon line. The culmination of the development program will be live-fire tests where ATK and ARDEC demonstrate the ability to communicate with the round — via a data uplink — after it exits the barrel. In addition, the team will demonstrate a unique course-correction technology that increases the EAPS target defeat capability. Finally, ATK will demonstrate the effectiveness of the ARDEC warhead design to defeat incoming rockets, mortars and artillery shells. 
 
“ATK is an industry leader in the development of force protection technologies for personnel, vehicles and facilities,” said Dave Wise, Vice President and General Manager, ATK Advanced Weapons. “We have worked closely with ARDEC on a number of systems that are on the battlefield today, and we look forward to continuing that partnership as we create the technologies of tomorrow.” 
 
Work under the EAPS contract will be performed at ATK facilities in Plymouth, Minnesota and Mesa, Arizona.  
 
ATK is a $3.5 billion advanced weapon and space systems company employing approximately 15,500 people in 21 states.