Nitro-What insensitive explosive ammunition
Soon, Nitro-Chem in Bydgoszcz will be able to reload 155mm artillery shells and 120mm mortars with insensitive high explosives.
Ammunition with reduced sensitivity to mechanical and thermal influences (the so-called insensitive ammunition) has been gradually replacing classic ammunition, which is still used in the armies of many countries, both in artillery and in other branches of the military, for several years. Its undoubted advantage is a significant increase in security: transport, storage or reduction of the negative consequences of an attack by enemy troops. One of the main conditions for meeting the requirements for reduced sensitivity ammunition is the use of suitable high explosives for their manufacture, also less sensitive to excitation. The level of acceptable sensitivity to various types of irritants for a given type of ammunition is determined by the relevant standard.
In the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, desensitized ammunition is used in trace amounts, as is the Polish defense industry. Hence the pioneering significance of the project currently being implemented at Zakłady Chemiczne Nitro-Chem SA in Bydgoszcz, which is part of the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa SA, financed mainly by the Ministry of Finance in the form of a capital injection into the company. In cooperation with the Military Technological University and the Institute of Organic Industry, this project developed and tested high-explosive mixtures with the properties required for materials used to develop low-sensitivity ammunition. Also, a technology was developed for the synthesis and recrystallization of nitrotriazolone (NTO), an explosive not yet produced in Poland, one of the main components of the insensitive mixture being developed. This material is currently offered on world markets by several manufacturers.
The results of research and development work were used in the design of production facilities for the production of NTO, the production of mixtures of low-sensitivity materials and ammunition (reloading) artillery ammunition with these materials. These units are currently under construction.
Despite this, pilot plants were assembled and launched, already making it possible to produce a small amount of crushing, insensitive materials necessary for the design of the first type of Polish ammunition with reduced sensitivity to mechanical and thermal stimuli. These will be 120-mm high-explosive fragmentation shells for the Rak self-propelled mortar, the entry of which into service with the Rocket Forces and Artillery will be one of the important elements of the modernization program for this type of troops, as well as the Airmobile and Motorized Forces, which are operators of the Rosomak wheeled armored personnel carriers, in first of all, which Raki will provide fire support. Cancer munitions will be produced by Zakłady Metalowe DEZAMET SA from Nowa Demba in cooperation with, among others, Nitro-Chem from Bydgoszcz, where they will be developed using a new crushing material. Currently, in cooperation with the Military Institute of Weapons Technology, construction work is underway related to the new ammunition. Its first field tests have already been carried out, in which the new crushing material from Bydgoszcz was also used.
As already mentioned, the Rak 120mm mortar ammunition will be the first Polish ammunition to meet the reduced sensitivity requirements. However, it is obvious that work will soon begin on ammunition that is not very sensitive to other categories and weapons. In the near future, work should begin on this type of 155-mm ammunition for the Crab and Wing artillery howitzers, as well as other artillery systems. The facility under construction in Bydgoszcz has been designed to handle all calibers of artillery ammunition with less crush-sensitive materials. It will also be possible to use the developed crushing material and installation for loading air bombs, land and sea mines, etc. Nitrotriazolone itself (NTO) will also be offered, as well as commercially insensitive mixtures. This gives the company from Bydgoszcz the opportunity to significantly expand its export sales, especially since in recent years it has been the export of explosives that has accounted for the largest share of the company's income.
Completion of the investment is planned for 2016. Commissioning and commissioning of new production lines will fill the gap that has existed for years in the Polish defense industry in the production of modern chemical warfare agents.
