Diehl Defence has received an order to develop a new 76mm naval ammunition for use in Oto Melara Super Rapido L-62 naval guns operated by the French Navy.
The new ammunition will feature insensitive explosives to prevent self-detonation of the ammunition if exposed to fire from the enemy or accidentally onboard, protecting the crews on the vessel.
The naval ammunition will serve as a refinement over the existing 76mm ammunition and will be capable of engaging airborne and sea threats, as well as coastal targets.
The order is claimed to make Diehl Defence the first supplier of naval ammunition to the world, as it will also meet the insensitive ammunition requirements according to Nato standards STANAG.
To date, Diehl has delivered some 300,000 76mm naval ammunition rounds to countries that include Germany, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Canada, Ecuador, Columbia, Qatar, the Netherlands and Turkey.
A complete programme of cartridges 76mm x 636 ammunition has been developed by Diehl for all types of the OTO Melara/OTO BREDA 76mm L/62 naval guns, which also meet Nato’s standards, as well as environmental and safety requirements.
The 76mm naval ammunition is a joint venture product of Diehl and Nexter Munitions, while the shells’ fuses and propellant charger systems are supplied by JUNGHANS T2M and Nitrochemie Wimmis respectively.
The Oto Melara Super Rapido L-62 naval guns will arm the French Navy’s new FREMM and Horizon-class frigates from 2015. These frigates are integrated with three Oto Melara 76mm / 62 Super Rapid guns as a pair and a single gun fitted on the hangar.
The Oto Melara medium calibre naval gun, which interfaces to an optronic fire control system, will serve as the main gun of the French FREMM frigates.
