Airburst round
An airburst round is a type of tactical anti-personnel explosive ammunition, typically a shell or grenade, that detonates in midair, causing air burst effect fragment damage to an enemy.
This makes it easier to hit enemy soldiers behind a wall, in a defensive fighting position, or in a confined space or room. It is used on many guns, from artillery to the hand-held XM25 Individual Airburst Weapon System (derived from the XM29 OICW). Unlike traditional grenades, such as the 40 mm grenade, smart grenades can be electronically programmed to explode after traveling a certain distance. A fire control computer or some other electronic sighting system is used to quickly program the electronic fuse with any distance, as conditions dictate.
Orbital ATK developed 30x173mm Mk310 PABM-T airburst rounds for Mk44 Bushmaster II.[1][2]
Terminology
It is also called an airburst shell, air burst grenade, or smart grenade.
List of airburst round platforms
- 20 mm grenade
- 25 mm grenade:
- XM25 Individual Airburst Weapon System
- XM307 Advanced Crew Served Weapon
- Barrett XM109
- 30 mm
- Shipunov 2A42[3]
- 2A72[4]
- Mk44 Bushmaster II
- Rheinmetall MK30-2/ABM[5][6]
- Rheinmetall Wotan 30 ABM[7]
- 35 mm
- PAPOP
- Norinco QLU-11
- Rheinmetall Wotan 35 ABM
- 40 mm
- 57 mm
- AU-220M
- 84 mm
References
- "30mm & 20mm x 173mm Munition System". Orbitak ATK. Archived from the original on 2017-07-02.
- "30mm x 173mm Air Burst Munition System" (PDF). Orbital ATK. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-29.
- "TASS: Military & Defense - Russia to develop anti-drone shrapnel ammunition".
- "UVZ to unveil modernized BMP-1 with 2A72 cannon at Army 2018 | August 2018 Global Defense Security army news industry | Defense Security global news industry army 2018 | Archive News year".
- "MK 30-2". www.deagel.com.
- "Germany Opts for Mauser Automatic Cannon MK 30-2 with Air Burst Munition". www.defense-aerospace.com.
- "Rheinmetall Defence - R&D focus - effectors". www.rheinmetall-defence.com.