#Nammo

The US Marine Corps is replacing its M72 LAWs, with M72 LAWs! Marine Corps Systems Command announced on 20 May 2024, that currently in service M72 variants will be succeeded by the M72 LAW Fire from Enclosure (FFE). The M72 FFE family includes two variants: the anti-armor specialised M72A8 and the multi-purpose, anti-structure M72A10.

MAC, LLC, the Mississippi-based lightweight polymer tech specialists, have won a $10 million indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity contract to provide the US Marine Corps with uptp 2.4 million rounds of hybrid polymer/brass-cased .50 calibre ammunition. The contract will allow the USMC to evaluate the new ammunition in user trials

Nammo Group, the international aerospace and defense company headquartered in Norway, has announced that they will be enhancing their US manufacturing base by acquiring an ordnance manufacturing subsidiary of UK-headquartered Chemring Group. Chemring Ordnance runs a plant in Perry, Florida which produces a range or ordnance including fuzes, 40mm ammunition and other ammunition components. Chemring Group’s other arms specialise in electronic countermeasures and sensors.

An intent to  sole source solicitation notifying of the potential order of an estimated 2.4 million rounds of polymer-cased .50 calibre ammunition has been posted, advising that MAC, LLC of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi may in the future receive an order for ammunition. The notice follows the USMC’s earlier survey of manufactures to find a suitable provider for the new ammunition. The Marine Corps Systems Command notes that future orders may include both ball and API ammunition.

As TFB reported last year, Norway has been looking to procure up to 1,300 M2 Heavy Machine Guns (HMGs), including tools and spares for a seven-year contract.

The golden age of polymer cased ammunition has probably already begun. Certainly, Norwegian-Finnish ammunition manufacturer Nammo seems to believe that, as they recently took a significant stake in American company MAC, LLC, makers of polymer-cased composite ammunition, some of which has already been type-classified by the United States Navy. MAC, LLC will continue as an independent company.  Nammo announced the acquisition via a press release, which is embedded below:

Norwegian ammunition company Nammo has come up with a solution to the anti-drone predicament. The company’s answer is to develop 40x53mm high-velocity grenades using programmable components that allow soldiers to lase the distance to an enemy UAV, transmit that data into the grenade, which then programs that grenade to airburst at that particular altitude. Using bursts to maximize the effectiveness of the explosions around a drone, the likelihood of taking it out of commission can increase, given an accurate distance program is used.

At the NDIA conference, Nammo gave a presentation on their new lineup of armor-piercing ammunition. Nammo produces both the tungsten cored AP rounds in use with the US Armed Forces: The 7.62mm M993 and 5.56mm M995. Aside from data on these previously enigmatic round types, the Nammo presentation also covers new round types they have introduced, such as the “Power Ball” tungsten-tipped ball ammunition for 5.56mm and 7.62mm: