Image source: topwar.ru
The German company Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) is developing a 155-mm artillery shell with a ramjet engine.
- says the publication Military Africa.
Allegedly, the ramjet engine will increase the firing distance to 150 km. The projectile is still under development, but the company has already conducted several test firings.
A ramjet propulsion system uses the forward motion of the projectile to compress the air going into the engine. This compressed air then mixes with the fuel and ignites, creating thrust. Ramjet engines are more efficient than rocket engines at high speeds, which makes them optimal for long-range artillery shots.
In February 2021, RDM signed a ten-year agreement with the American company Northrop Grumman, providing for the development of technologies for high-precision long-range ammunition.
The rocket projectile created by RDM is created on the basis of the VLAP ammunition ("high-speed artillery projectile"), which uses a rocket accelerator to achieve a firing range of 54 km. The ramjet engine that replaces it allows it to carry a smaller payload, but it is much cheaper.
Boeing (USA) and Nammo (Norwegian-Finnish company) are also working on similar projects. However, RDM believes that their projectile will be more affordable and easier to maintain in comparison with other products.
