Lethality Technology

Lethality Technology under the Army's Research, Development, Test & Evaluation budget activity, aims to research technologies and methodologies to enable next-generation lethality. The program focuses on lethal mechanism technologies for projectiles and warheads, selection of propulsion and energetic materials for future gun/missile systems, scalable effects for mixed target defeat, and development of materials solutions for weight and volume efficiency. The program also aims to enhance lethal effects by investigating synergistic effects of novel micro warheads using advanced materials. This research is performed by the United States Army Futures Command (AFC) and complements other related programs within the Army Modernization Strategy.

Project AH6 within PE 0602141A focuses on Disruptive Energetics and Propulsion Technologies. It investigates, models, and assesses energetic material and propulsion technologies to validate novel concepts for improving the effectiveness and reducing vulnerability of future gun/missile systems. This includes optimizing propellant grains for increased range and altering gun configurations to increase energy on target. The project also builds upon disruptive energetic materials discovery efforts to synthesize new materials with higher energy content. Additionally, it leverages advanced additive manufacture efforts from related projects within the Army's research activities.

Project AH7 within PE 0602141A focuses on Lethal and Scalable Effects Technologies. The project aims to design, determine, and assess technology options for scaling warhead lethality and providing extreme efficiency for highly effective simultaneous mixed/multi-target defeat while mitigating collateral damage. This includes designing scalable structure defeat for disruptive urban warfare scenarios. The research in this project is coordinated with related projects within the same program element and builds upon disruptive energetic and ballistic sciences research in Defense Research Sciences.