Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) is ready and willing to integrate its latest generation 155 mm Assegai artillery ammunition with the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF’s) G5 and G6 howitzers.
The G5 towed howitzer and G6 self-propelled howitzer use 45 calibre barrels, able to fire Extended Range Full Bore (ERFB) projectiles in two main versions: standard boat-tail (ERFB-BT) and base bleed (ERFB-BB). Maximum range from a 45-calibre barrelled howitzer is 31 and 41 km respectively for the boat-tail and base bleed projectiles.
RDM has upgraded the older version M1 ERFB to the M9 ERFB shell, with changes including new base bleed technology, new driving bands, better dynamic imbalance, etc.
However, the ERFB-projectile series is not JBMoU (NATO Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding) compliant, mainly because of the nubs used as the bore riding surface and the heavier mass when compared to the JBMoU-compliant Assegai series.
Both Assegai and M9 shells are compatible with existing 45 calibre weapons and are offered in High Explosive (HE) and Carrier versions.
When combining the shell with the charge, there are implications, RDM told defenceWeb. Due to the mass difference in shells, the M64 charge is optimized for the ERFB-shell and the M92 charge is optimized for the lighter Assegai shell.
RDM said the company is ready to integrate any of the abovementioned charge projectile combinations with the SANDF’s G5 weapons. RDM would have to carry out limited firings from G5 weapons to characterize ballistic conditions for range table purposes as part of the integration process.
Introduced in the early 1970s, the 155 mm ERFB shell was a radical departure from earlier designs, using a variety of novel aerodynamic features developed by Dr Gerald Bull to achieve nearly twice the range of conventional 155 mm shells. Besides offering ballistic similitude within the Assegai family, also a key attribute for the M1 ERFB family of shells is range domination, with extended range V-LAP projectiles being part of the offering.
RDM pointed out that the Assegai range is optimised for 52 calibre howitzers – Denel’s T5-52 truck-mounted howitzer is equipped with a 52 calibre barrel, making it an ideal candidate for Assegai ammunition.
