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Depleted Uranium Vs Tungsten For Tank Un Ammunition Report No 107 PDF
Depleted Uranium Vs Tungsten For Tank Un Ammunition Report No 107 PDF
Depleted Uranium Vs Tungsten For Tank Un Ammunition Report No 107 PDF
RICHARD P. DAVITT
CLEARED 1
FOR
OPEN PuBLlCATlON
MAR 8 2000 12
JUNE 1980 D,RECTO~~FOR
FREEOOMOFINFo~~A~'oN
5 I
Lr:I-_-::;-_,,~3 r;: ANoSECUR~TYANIEW
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
TANK AMMO SECTION REPORT NO. 107
OF
AS
PENETRATOR MATERIALS
RICHARD P. DAVITT
.
LARGE CALIBER WEAPON SYSTEMS LABORATORY
US ARMY ARMAMENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMAND
JUNE 1980
p&J - NO.
I. Summary 1
II. Background 3
IV. Lost 11
V. Performance 14
References 22
i
TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE NO.
ii
(U) SUMMARY (U)
DU "A -
cost +
Performance ++
--
Overall +
II. (C) Background (U)
A. e Tungsten (U)
32 8.0 10.7
*
8.0 13.3
24 8.0 15.5
5
.
more complex and difficult target descriptions loomed on the horizon.
The development of DU alloying and manufacturing techniques had also
advanced. particularly in the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories.
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION
-- w
TUNGSTEN
DEPLETED URANIUM
WC = Tungsten Carbide
WA = Tungsten Alloy
U= Uranium (general)
TI = Titanium Alloy
QUINT = five alloying elements
QUAD = four alloying elements
AP = Armor piercing
APES = Armor piercing, discarding sabot
APFSDS = Armor piercing, fin stabilized, discarding sabot
III. (U) Manufacture and Producibility (U)
(U) Over the last five years improvements have been made
in the mechanical properties of both WA and DU alloys. Typical
ranges of mechanical properties are shown in Table 3. Because the
WA is a metal matrix composite, it probably offers more areas for
advancement or refinement in mechanical properties.
UN&A&FlFD
Table 4 - (U) Some Advantages and Disadvantages in Production of DU and WA Penetrators
High Toughness (50% High Cost Raw Nat'1 Better Penetration Handling Restrictions
Higher) with High Against Complex
Strength Myth of Limited Targets Restricted R&D,
Availability Production,
Proven High Volume Low Initial Costs Training Firings
Production Facility Never Quite Equals of Nat'1
DU Penetration No Proven High Volume
More Potential on Std Metallurgy Production, HZ0
g Technical Limits Limited US Reduction of Quench &lAge Quench, Straightening
for Component Capability Alloy
z More Reactive Metal
Higher Ductility
3 w/High Strength Experience with High
Quality, Ductile,
=
Conventional Tough, Coated)
Extrusion/Roll Only in DOE
Process
Goes thru Temp
Transition
UNCLASSIFIFP
Table 5 - (U) Critical Manufacturing Areas
Tungsten Alloy
Depleted Uranium
10
UNCLASSWO
UNClASSlflFD
IV. (ll) cost
CARTRIDGE CARTRIDGE
WITH WITH
DU CORE WA CORE HIGHER WA
LOW
-- HIGH COST (%)
1600
L
*-z.= A TUNGSTEN
ALLOY
t
-0 DEPLETED
URANIUM
1400
1200
1000
0
DENSITY X LENGTH
FIGURE 2. I) PERFORMANCE OF VARIOUS OU AND WA PENETRATORS VERSUS Tl!E NATC HEAVY TRIPLE TARGET (U)
-A TUNGSTEN
ALLOY
1600 - -. DEPLETED
URANIUM
DENSITY X LENGTH
This trend is magnified as the target arrays become more
complex. F igure 2 representing NATO Heavy Triple, shows that the DU
outperforms the WA regardless of material or geometry f the penetrator.
This trend is equally profound when these types of pr&tiles are
evaluated against modern, special armor targets.
TARGET m
PENETRATOR
PROJECTILE MATERIAL HS* HT* INCREASED DIFFICULTY TARGETS
18
UNCtASSIFIFD
VI. (U) Safety, Environmental & Development (U)
(U) To date. the XM833 and XM829 have not been required to
shoulder these same burdens. Two factors might be responsible for this
low key atmosphere: The personnel normally involved in the safety and
environmental issues have been preoccupied with the XM774. and the majority
of the studies and tests conducted on the XM774 apply directly to the
other two rounds. As can be seen from Table 8. the estimated funding and
number of tasks deemed necessary for the XT4833and XM829 are considerably
reduced from that required of the XM774. Some repetitive testing will
be required on the 12Omm XM829 due to the utilization of a new propellant
ignition system.
UNCLASSIFIFD .
(U) A similar situation exists with the special capital
equipment necessary to support the production and fielding of a
DU anti-tank cartridge. A considerable investment was made in
manufacturing facilities and in test range equipment (e.g. armor
plate target enclosure). Once established and proven, these
facilities will be adaptable to the follow-on programs. The invest-
ments associated with the XM833 and XM82g will be required primarily
due to the unique design features of each round, and not necessarily
to support DU deployment.
XM774/
TASK M735El XM833
-- XM8.29
21
UNCLASSIFIF!l
UNCLASSIFIFD
REFERENCES
10. The Tank Main Armament Team, "The 105mm Tank Gun System New
Initiative: The ARRADCOM Upgun Program (U)," Ballistic Research
Laboratory Technical Report ARBIU-TR-02177, July 1979, Secret.
22
IJNCLASSIFIFD
UNCLASSiflFD
30. Wright, E. C., "Special Study - The Effect of Bay Water on Pra-
viously Fired Depleted Uranium (D.U.) Penetrators," U.S. Army
Armament Research and Davelopent Conrmand,Ballistic Research Lab-
oratory, Aberdeen, wryland. 1976 (Draft Report).
24
UNCLASSIFIFD
UNCLASSIHFD
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