Nammo, a Norwegian international aerospace and defense company,announces that its U.S. subsidiary Nammo Defense Systems Inc., headquartered in Mesa, Arizona, will deliver M72 and components for Shoulder Launched Munitions Training Systems to the single manager for Conventional Ammunition (SMCA), thus supporting multiple U.S. military services. The contract is part of a five-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) agreement with a maximum value of $498 million, with its initial delivery order being $96.9-million and deliveries slated to begin in 2023.
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U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Isaac Zimmerman observes as a U.S. Marine fires a legacy M72 munition system. (Picture source: USMC/Sgt. Luke Kuennen)
The M72 FFE weapon is a joint-service qualified, world-leading close combat weapon that allows warfighters to maintain cover and operate from concealed positions. Leveraging Nammo Defense technology innovation and expertise, the M72 FFE is easy to operate, extremely powerful, lightweight and disposable. The anti-armor variant (M72 A8) is effective against tactical vehicles, concrete walls and lightly armored personnel carriers, while the anti-structure variant (M72 A10) features a dual-mode fuze that can defeat brick, adobe, earthen fortifications and tactical vehicles.
“A patented inert organic high-density liquid and patented propulsion system, developed by Nammo to satisfy U.S. Marine Corps requirements, significantly mitigates sound levels, visual signature, and back blast effects,” said Nammo Defense Systems Vice President of Engineering, Dominic Jezierski. “We’ve successfully completed aggressive testing through the Joint Ordnance Test Procedure to validate the capabilities of the system.”
The M72 FFE system is designed to be effective in combat operations and to provide enhanced safety for the operator. By reducing the effect of the backblast, operator safety is enhanced and allows the M72 FFE to be employed in places previously unfeasible. Firing from inside a structure or behind cover means the operator can remain concealed, and the lighter 13-pound weight means the operator is less physically burdened during the rigors of combat operations.
According to the Nammo Defense Systems’ Vice President of Programs, Tim Clawitter, “When using single hearing protection inside an enclosure, the system’s safety specifications exceed the fire-from-enclosure safe operating requirements of both the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army. No system currently fielded by the U.S. Department of Defense has this capability – and that’s a game-changer.”
“The government and industry team working on the M72 FFE system is confident that it will deliver next-level capabilities,” said Nammo Defense Systems President Gary Goodwin. “This contract award is a significant win for the warfighter. Nammo Defense Systems is focused on providing technologies, capabilities and products to fulfill the requirements of U.S. and allied military forces defending freedom.”
Nammo Defense Systems – Mesa facility – M72 production line (Picture source: Nammo)
