Munitions Standardization, Effectiveness and Safety

Mission — Munitions Standardization, Effectiveness and Safety source

This Program Element (PE) supports continuing technology investigations by providing a coordinated Tri-Service mechanism for the collection and free exchange of technical data on the performance and effectiveness of all non-nuclear conventional munitions and weapons systems in a realistic operational environment. Project 297 - Munitions Survivability & Logistics: This Project supports the future force by making Army units more survivable through the investigation, testing and demonstration of munitions logistics system improvements that prevent or minimize catastrophic explosive events and accelerate ammunition resupply. Key thrusts are munitions storage area survivability, Insensitive Munitions (IM) technology integration and compliance, ammunition management and asset visibility, weapon system rearm, munitions configured load enablers and advanced packaging and distribution system enhancements. Within each thrust, a broad array of solutions will be identified, tested, and evaluated against developed system measures of effectiveness. Optimum, cost effective and efficient solutions that enable the rapid projection of lethal and survivable forces will be demonstrated. The early stages of force deployment are especially critical. Theater ammunition storage areas are vulnerable and present the enemy with lucrative targets. These areas and distribution nodes contain the only available munitions stocks in theater. Loss of these munition stocks could cripple the force, jeopardize the mission, and result in high loss of life. This Project mitigates vulnerabilities and ensures a survivable fighting force. Project 857 - DoD Explosives Safety Standards: This Project supports the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation efforts of the Department of Defense (DoD) Explosive Safety Standards Board. It supports explosive safety effects research and testing to quantify hazards and to develop techniques to mitigate those hazards in all DoD manufacturing, testing, transportation, maintenance, storage, disposal of ammunition and explosives operations, and also to develop risk based explosives safety standards. Results are essential to the development and improvement of quantity-distance standards, hazard classification procedures, cost effective explosion resistant facility design procedures, and personnel hazard/protection criteria. Project 858 - Army Explosives Safety Management Program: This Project establishes, validates or modifies explosives technical safety requirements per Department of Defense Manual 6055.09 and Department of the Army Pamphlet 385-64, Ammunition and Explosives Safety Standards. Project activities promote Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDTE) of new and innovative explosives safety technologies that improve the survivability of Army personnel, facilities, and equipment as well as improve the health, safety and welfare of the general public (with highest priority directed to combat theater of operations). Project 859 - Life Cycle Pilot Process: This Project supports the implementation of the Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition (SMCA) Industrial Base Strategic Plan through technology investigations, model based process controls, pilot prototyping, and industrial assessments. It will assess life cycle production capabilities required for all ammunition families, address design for manufacturability to facilitate economical production, identify industrial and technology requirements, and address the ability of the production base to rapidly and cost effectively produce quality products. Cost reduction is an important part of the Life Cycle Pilot Process (LCPP). LCPP provides the resources to prototype critical technologies and develop the knowledge base to establish cost effective, environmentally safe and modern production processes in support of the munitions Industrial Base transformation. In addition, the LCPP program addresses Single Point Failures (SPFs) / No Source of supply within the National Technology Industrial Base (NTIB). LCPP provides support to reduce supply chain risk by investigating, developing and evaluating additional sources of supply for a known SPF. Project F21 - North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Ammunition Evaluation program funding ensures interchangeability of ammunition and weapons among all the NATO countries with all of the associated logistic, strategic and tactical advantages of the alliance. This Project involves development and testing compliance of NATO standardization agreements (STANAGS) and staffing of the North American Regional Test Center (NARTC). In addition, this Project supports small caliber ammunition, 50mm ammunition, 40mm grenade munitions, medium caliber cannon ammunition, and large caliber ammunition enhancements to lethality, effectiveness, survivability, accuracy, and general product improvements. This Project also supports the standardization and interchangeability of legacy and new production United States (US) weapons and ammunition with Allied Nations to maximize battlefield interchangeability/ compatibility under the auspices of international agreements to include NATO working groups, the Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (JBMOU), and information/ data exchange agreements. Maximizing standardization, interchangeability, and exportability will also potentially increase Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of US indirect fire weapon and munition products to support United States industrial base production and affordable Department of Defense pricing through increased economies of scale. Project F24: Conventional Munitions Demilitarization (Demil): The Conventional Munitions Demilitarization technology Project supports the SMCA responsibility per Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 5160.68 to plan, program, budget and fund a Joint Service Research and Development (R&D) program that develops capability and capacity as well as technology and facilities to support the SMCA mission to demil and dispose of conventional ammunition stored in the SMCA Resource, Recovery and Disposition Account (B5A). The program goals include SMCA efforts to increase efficiencies and effectiveness to reduce the demil stockpile; reduce processing costs including packaging, handling and crating; and increase capacity through improved demilitarization capabilities and processes. Project F24 includes activities: (1) to establish requirements and develop processes to focus investments, assess capabilities, analyze alternatives, and recommend and implement R&D projects; (2) to improve products and processes that support existing capabilities; (3) to develop or improve demil methods and processes related to advance the primary demilitarization core thrust areas of destruction, disassembly, removal, resource recovery and recycling, and waste stream treatment; (4) to ensure safe and environmentally acceptable demil operations; (5) to transition R&D products to United States Army depots or plants as well as commercial facilities performing demil; and (6) to mitigate risk and close-out project activities. The FY 2026 request was reduced by $0.329 million for Advisory and Assistance Services to promote efficiencies and advance the policies of the Administration in alignment with Executive Order 14222, "Implementing the President's Department of Government Efficiency Cost Efficiency Initiative."

Mission — Mun Survivability & Log source

This Project supports the future force by evaluating the ability of emerging technology to make Army units more survivable and lethal by enabling improvements in tactical distribution/handling and active supply chain management to enhance ammunition availability. This will be accomplished through the investigation, testing, and evaluation of ammunition logistics system improvements that prevent or minimize catastrophic explosive events and accelerate ammunition resupply. Key thrusts are munitions storage area survivability, Insensitive Munitions (IM) technology integration and compliance, ammunition management and asset visibility, weapon system rearm, munitions configured load enablers and advanced packaging and distribution system enhancements. Within each thrust, a broad array of solutions will be identified, tested, and evaluated against developed system measures of effectiveness. Cost effective and efficient solutions that enable the rapid projection of lethal and survivable forces will be demonstrated focused on optimizing tactical ammunition supply chain visibility and management. Technologies that enable the rapid planning of ammunition storage sites to protect the critical munition stored at these sites, and sites considered lucrative targets to the enemy, will be demonstrated and refined. Additionally, packaging of the munitions themselves will be improved to maintain survivability while reducing weight and increasing ability to utilize automation. Loss of these critical munition stocks or ineffective management of the supply chain to move the munitions could cripple the force, jeopardize the mission, and result in high loss of life. This Project mitigates vulnerabilities and ensures a survivable fighting force.

Mission — DoD Explosives Safety Standards source

This Program Element (PE) supports continuing technology investigations. It provides a coordinated tri-Service mechanism for the collection and free exchange of technical data on the performance and effectiveness of all non-nuclear conventional munitions and weapons systems in a realistic operational environment. This Project supports the Research, Development, Test, & Evaluation (RDTE) efforts of the Department of Defense (DoD) Explosive Safety Standards Board. It supports explosive safety effects research and testing to quantify hazards and to develop techniques to mitigate those hazards in all DoD manufacturing, testing, transportation, maintenance, storage, disposal of ammunition and explosives operations, and also to develop risk based explosives safety standards. Results are essential to the development and improvement of quantity-distance standards, hazard classification procedures, cost effective explosion resistant facility design procedures, and personnel hazard/protection criteria.

Mission — Army Explosives Safety Management Program source

This Project establishes, validates or modifies explosives technical safety requirements per Department of Defense Pamphlet 385-64, Ammunition and Explosives Safety Standards. Project activities promote Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDTE) of new and innovative explosives safety technologies that improve the survivability of Army personnel, facilities, and equipment as well as improve the health, safety and welfare of the general public. Funding will support continued testing, validation, and regulatory integration for permanent, temporary and mobile ammunition and explosives facilities focusing on construction and instrumentation of destructive test structures; data collection and analyses; policy change identification and implementation. The Defense Ammunition Center/US Army Technical Center for Explosives Safety (DAC/USATCES), Engineer Research and Development Center will team with and sponsor agencies (Joint Service, Academia, and Contractor) to improve the effectiveness of identifying, analyzing, and apply risk acceptance to ammunition and explosive environments. Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center Branch to provide technical support in the areas of risk assessment Program, DDESB Science Panel, and the DoD protective construction.

Mission — Life Cycle Pilot Process source

The Life Cycle Pilot Process Project supports the implementation of the Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition (SMCA) Army Ammunition Modernization Plan through technology investigations, pilot prototyping, and industrial assessments. Project will develop a knowledge base for modern, cost effective, environmentally safe, and secure Industrial Base processes and practices. This project addresses technology, producibility, cost refinement, and supply chain risks for JPEO Armaments & Ammunition portfolio. Project 859 divides into three thrust areas: Single Point Failures (SPFs); Life Cycle Cost Refinement; and Manufacturing Technology for Industrial Base Transformation. Respectively this project will mitigate supply chain and source of supply concerns; refine overall product and manufacturing costs; and assess and implement modern/ industry-standard manufacturing processes to the Industrial Base.

Mission — NATO Ammo Evaluation source

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Ammunition Evaluation program funding ensures interchangeability of ammunition and weapons among all the NATO countries with all of the associated logistic, strategic and tactical advantages of the alliance. This Project involves development and testing compliance of NATO standardization agreements (STANAGS) and staffing of the North American Regional Test Center (NARTC). In addition, this Project supports small caliber ammunition, 50mm ammunition, 40mm grenade munitions, medium caliber cannon ammunition, and large caliber ammunition enhancements to lethality, effectiveness, survivability, accuracy, and general product improvements. This Project also supports the standardization and interchangeability of legacy and new production United States (US) weapons and ammunition with Allied Nations to maximize battlefield interchangeability/ compatibility under the auspices of international agreements to include NATO working groups, the Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (JBMOU), and information/ data exchange agreements. Maximizing standardization, interchangeability, and exportability will also potentially increase Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of US indirect fire weapon and munition products to support United States industrial base production and affordable Department of Defense pricing through increased economies of scale. Fiscal Year 2026 funding will support NATO and JBMOU artillery and small arms ammunition interchangeability group meetings, documentation, and test operations.

Mission — Conventional Munitions Demil source

The Conventional Munitions Demilitarization Technology Project supports the Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition (SMCA) responsibility per Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 5160.68 to plan, program, budget and fund a Joint Service research and development program that develops capability and capacity as well as technology and facilities to support the SMCA mission to demilitarize and dispose of conventional ammunition stored in the SMCA Resource, Recovery and Disposition Account (B5A). Project goals include SMCA efforts to increase efficiencies and effectiveness to reduce the demil stockpile; reduce processing costs including packaging, handling and crating; and increase capacity through improved demil capabilities and processes. Project F24 includes several activities: (1) to establish requirements and develop processes to focus investments, assess capabilities, analyze alternatives, and recommend and implement RDT&E projects; (2) to improve products and processes that support existing capabilities; (3) to develop or improve demil methods and processes related to advance the primary demilitarization core thrust areas of destruction, disassembly, removal, resource recovery and recycling, and waste stream treatment; (4) to ensure safe and environmentally acceptable demil operations; (5) to transition RDT&E capability projects to United States Army depots or plants as well as commercial facilities performing demil; and (6) to mitigate risk and close-out Project activities.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (20)