CTG, 50MM, All Types

The CTG, 50MM, All Types program is a line item in the Army's FY 2026 ammunition procurement budget, focused on acquiring and developing 50mm cartridges for use with the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV). The primary goals of this program are to support war reserve, operational, training, and test requirements in accordance with Department of Defense Instruction 3000.04 and Army Regulation 5-13. The program is designed to ensure that both active and reserve components have access to modern munitions to meet homeland defense, emergency response, and military support to civil authorities as mandated by Section 1815 of the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act.

Within this line item, two distinct cartridge types are being procured and developed. The TP-T (Target Practice with Tracer) cartridge is a training round designed to provide a ballistic match to the developmental HEAB-T (High Explosive Airburst with Tracer) cartridge. Its objective is to offer a cost-effective solution for training Army personnel on the new XM30 platform, ensuring readiness and proficiency without expending operational munitions. The TP-T cartridge consists of an inert steel and aluminum projectile, glass-reinforced Ultem rotating band, pyrotechnic tracer, and standard propellant and primer components.

The APFSDS-T cartridge is a developmental anti-materiel round intended to defeat near-peer and future vehicle threats. This cartridge features an aluminum sabot set, depleted uranium penetrator, stainless steel fin, plastic obturator band, pyrotechnic tracer, and double base propellant. Its primary goal is to build up the Army's war reserve inventory, providing a capability to counter advanced armored threats in future combat scenarios. The APFSDS-T is packed similarly to the TP-T cartridge and is currently classified as Code B, indicating it is not yet approved for service use pending further development and testing milestones.

Both cartridges are being developed and procured through the Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC) Middle Tier Acquisition - Rapid Prototyping (MTA-RP) program. This approach is intended to expedite the transition of these munitions to Milestone C and subsequent low-rate initial production. For the TP-T cartridge, the transition to Milestone C is scheduled for the third quarter of FY 2024, with low-rate initial production in the fourth quarter of FY 2024. For the APFSDS-T cartridge, Milestone C is targeted for the first quarter of FY 2025, followed by low-rate initial production in the second quarter of FY 2025.

In FY 2026, the Army is requesting base procurement funding for the CTG, 50MM, All Types program, supporting the acquisition of cartridges for both training and war reserve purposes. Funding will also support production engineering, quality assurance, and acceptance testing activities required for the transition from development to production.

The justification for these procurements is based on the need to maintain readiness and meet operational requirements for the XM30 MICV program. Training cartridges are essential for individual and collective training at Army schools, home stations, and combined training centers. War reserve cartridges are necessary to support Combatant Commander operational plans and homeland defense missions. The program also supports ongoing test requirements for the development, safety, and quality assurance of Army munitions and equipment throughout their lifecycle.

Contracting for these cartridges is managed by Army Contracting Command at Rock Island, IL, with vendors selected based on annual requirements and production capacity. The production schedule for FY 2026 reflects planned deliveries and procurement lead times, ensuring timely availability of munitions to meet Army goals. The CTG, 50MM, All Types program supports both immediate training needs and long-term operational capabilities as part of the Army's modernization and readiness strategy.