TOWARD HIGH-PERFORMANCE, GREENER, AND LOW-VULNERABILITY MUNITIONS WITH THE RIGHTTRAC TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATOR PROGRAM

Abstract

The revolutionary insensitive, green, and healthier training technology with reduced adverse contamination (RIGHTTRAC) program is a 5-year technology demonstration program (TDP) aimed at showing that green and insensitive munitions have better properties than current munitions, and that it is feasible to implement safer weapon solutions that would ease the environmental pressure on ranges and training areas and decrease the health hazards for the users. The goals of this TDP are to reach a near-zero dud rate and to eliminate the potential for research development explosive (RDX) contamination as well as the use of toxic and carcinogenic compounds. This will be done by performing significant improvements to the fuzing system, the main explosive charge and the gun propellant. The vehicle used for this demonstration is a 105-mm army artillery munition (high-explosive M1), currently filled with Composition B (a 60:40 RDX:TNT mix) and using a single-base gun propellant (M1 formulation). The aim of this communication is to provide an overview of the project and to describe the steps taken to evaluate the environmental properties of the chosen propellant and explosive formulations. At its completion, it is believed that this project will have provided the required data to assess the long-term effects of the munitions on the environment right at an early stage of the weapon development cycle, and that this can be cost effective in the long run. This will help sustain military training while preserving our resources, as well as shaping the future of weapon system development.