Nammo Raufoss AS Unclassified April 06 2018
Insensitive Minimum Smoke IMEMTS
Propellants for Tactical Missile Propulsion Portland, OR, USA, April 23 – 26 2018
1
Unclassified
Approved for public release; distribution unlimited.
Insensitive Minimum Smoke Propellants
for Tactical Missiles
Thomas Deschner
1
,
Eirik A. Løkke
1
,
Tor E. Kristensen
2
, Tomas L. Jensen
2
, Erik Unneberg
2
1. Aerospace Propulsion, Nammo Raufoss AS,
P.O. Box 162, NO-2831 Raufoss, Norway
2. Land Systems Division, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI),
P.O. Box 25, NO-2027 Kjeller, Norway
thomas.deschner@nammo.com
Abstract
Modern weapon systems have a high demand for insensitive minimum smoke propellants
that are not inflicted by REACH regulations. In that respect, the development of new
minimum smoke propellants has to be pushed towards less hazardous and less sensitive
energetic fillers and plasticizers. Additionally, its successful implementation is also
dependent on replacing existing hazardous ballistic modifiers based on lead and copper
compositions while maintaining the good ballistic and mechanical properties at the same
time.
In this work, FFI and NAMMO are presenting the extension of their family of GAP-nitramine-
NENA propellants with different insensitive energetic fillers like FOX-7 or AN. In these
formulations, the nitramine was partly or completely substituted by FOX-7 or AN.
The results are compared to previously tested minimum smoke propellants with special
emphasis on the developed specific GAP-RDX-Bu-NENA propellant for the LMM boost
motor.
Even though seen as a promising candidate as well due to preliminary results with good
prospects, the tested FOX-7 formulations unfortunately only show similar shock sensitivity
performance as pure nitramine based GAP-Bu-NENA propellants. Strain and strength of the
propellant is reduced compared to pure GAP/nitramine propellant while the modulus is
increased. However, tensile testing at -40°C indica te a better low temperature behavior of the
GAP/FOX-7 propellant compared to pure GAP/nitramine propellant. Burn rates are reduced
and pressure exponents increased by incorporation of FOX-7.
Propellants containing AN show the best mechanical properties, also the best low
temperature behavior, of all tested formulations. However, on the downside, the burn rate
dropped dramatically for the pure GAP/AN propellant compared to a GAP/nitramine
propellant. Shock sensitivity is reduced by incorporation of AN in the propellant.
