Tanks to Fire Modernized Multi-Purpose Rounds That Can Adjust Blast Effects

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By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

The Advanced Multi-Purpose round is a single tailorable tank munition which can be adjusted or programmed by tank gunners to achieve specific attack effects as needed by the mission. 

With the AMP, High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds as well as Multi-Purpose Anti-Tank (MPAT) round, Canister round for increased anti-personnel fragmentation and Obstacle Reduction round are all consolidated into a single munition using new technology and an advanced ammunition data link.

Brig. Gen. Glenn Dean, Program Executive Officer, Ground Combat Vehicles, told The National Interest that the new round is performing well and getting close to entering operational service.

Dean said the round “just went through its initial operational test and came out of it, as far as I understand, with flying colors. So that capability is going into the force now.”

The Advanced Multi-Purpose Round

The M830 HEAT round and the M830A1 MPAT round are the first two to be consolidated. The M1028 Canister round, which is used to engage and defeat dismounted infantry, is the third one being replaced. The Canister round can be specifically used to destroy “human-wave assaults” as it uses a wide-range of scattering small projectiles to increase anti-personnel lethality. The fourth round to be integrated is the M908 Obstacle Reduction round which is designed to destroy large obstacles.