The Bangladesh Army is buying 3500 HE ERFB BB rounds for it's Nora B-52 155mm howitzers.
The 155 mm HE ERFB RA/BB (VLAP) projectile belongs to new generation of very long range artillery projectiles designed for importantly improving operational range performances of a modern towed and self-propelled 155 mm gun - howitzers with 39, 45 and 52 calibre barrel length. The projectile design combines rocket motor and base bleed units in single projectile. Hybrid rocked assisted/base bleed projectile is extending the operational range of 155mm gun-howitzers from 10+ km to more than 20 km in comparison with standard ERFB/BB projectiles, depending on the barrel length and charge used.
It complements existing HE, HE ERFB/BT and HE ERFB/BB ammunition systems providing greater ranges, with no special training or logistic. 155 mm HE ERFB RA/BB enables users to engage enemy targets at greater ranges, whilst being well beyond the range of their counter battery fire. It also enables long range harassment fire onto enemy logistic lines, forcing them to deploy an additional 10 - 20 kilometres from the front edge of the battle area. Its terminal effectiveness (blast and fragmentation) is due to smaller HE charge slightly different, but not importantly lower than HE ERFB/BB round.
Achieved results: 33% increase in range comparing to standard HE ERFB/BB base bleed projectiles (from 30.3 km to 40.8 km for 39-barrel systems and from 42 km to ~56 km with 52-barrel systems.
The unique projectile design enables simultaneously using of rocket propellant (by using of specially designed nozzles) and base bleed charges.
Projectile main characteristics:
The 155 mm HE ERFB RA/BB (VLAP) projectile belongs to new generation of very long range artillery projectiles designed for importantly improving operational range performances of a modern towed and self-propelled 155 mm gun - howitzers with 39, 45 and 52 calibre barrel length. The projectile design combines rocket motor and base bleed units in single projectile. Hybrid rocked assisted/base bleed projectile is extending the operational range of 155mm gun-howitzers from 10+ km to more than 20 km in comparison with standard ERFB/BB projectiles, depending on the barrel length and charge used.
It complements existing HE, HE ERFB/BT and HE ERFB/BB ammunition systems providing greater ranges, with no special training or logistic. 155 mm HE ERFB RA/BB enables users to engage enemy targets at greater ranges, whilst being well beyond the range of their counter battery fire. It also enables long range harassment fire onto enemy logistic lines, forcing them to deploy an additional 10 - 20 kilometres from the front edge of the battle area. Its terminal effectiveness (blast and fragmentation) is due to smaller HE charge slightly different, but not importantly lower than HE ERFB/BB round.
Achieved results: 33% increase in range comparing to standard HE ERFB/BB base bleed projectiles (from 30.3 km to 40.8 km for 39-barrel systems and from 42 km to ~56 km with 52-barrel systems.
The unique projectile design enables simultaneously using of rocket propellant (by using of specially designed nozzles) and base bleed charges.
Projectile main characteristics:
- Maximum range ~56km
- Muzzle velocity ~925m/s
- Rocket motor total impulse of : >6500 Ns
- Rocket motor propellant charge weight: ~3 kg
- Rocket motor specific impulse: >2170 Ns/kg
- Projectile total weight: 48 kg
- Projectile warhead section weight 30 kg