The US Army has awarded Aerojet Rocketdyne a multi-year contract for up to $75 million to supply kinetic energy components for M1 Abrams main battle tank rounds.
Under the agreement, company segment Aerojet Ordnance Tennessee will provide the army with M829A4 120-millimeter kinetic energy round components.
The M829A4 armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot components tracer is the 5th generation of the tank’s kinetic energy projectiles.
Rocketdyne has been producing the components since the introduction of the M1 Abrams.
“We are pleased to continue supporting the Army with the cutting-edge, armor-piercing technology that protects our forces and keeps our adversaries on the defensive,” Aerojet Rocketdyne President and CEO Eileen Drake stated.
“In terms of precision and lethality, the M829A4 tank round is second to none, which is what our brave men and women in uniform deserve.”
The M829A4 Tank Round
The M829A4 is a line-of-sight round designed exclusively for the M1 Abrams main battle tank.
Its armor-piercing capability matches adversary vehicles equipped with third-generation explosive reactive armor.
The weapon consists of a depleted uranium long-rod penetrator with a three-petal composite sabot separating into three parts after leaving the gun tube.
Compared to its previous iterations, the M829A4 has improved joint placements for better crew safety during live fire.
Furthermore, the weapon’s propellant is built with consistent muzzle velocities for temperatures from negative 32 to 63 degrees Celsius.
