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The new M30A1 GMLRS Alternate Warhead to replace cluster bombs for US Army Central 71601171

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The new M30A1 GMLRS Alternate Warhead to replace cluster bombs for US Army Central

The new M30A1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Alternate (GMLRS) Warhead is retiring an outdated cluster-bomb round on the battlefields for U.S. Army Central in the Middle East and Southwestern Asia.

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An M30A1 explodes on target vehicles at Udairi Training Range in Kuwait
(Credit: US Army, Sgt. Brandon Hubbard)

The M30A1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Alternate Warhead was debuted in Kuwait during a test fire exercise recently in the Central Command area of operations. Officials hope the test will help eliminate unwanted casualties in the future.

“Currently, the (Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions) round has a higher-than-acceptable rate potential to leave duds behind,” said Maj. Joshua Szafranski, an operations officer with the US 197th Field Artillery Brigade.

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Some of the 180,000 tungsten steel bee bee-sized balls
(Credit: US Army, Sgt. Brandon Hubbard)

Older models of the DPICM (Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition) munitions contained hundreds of smaller “cluster bomb” explosives that were often left unexploded across the battlefield and creating a danger to civilians. Szafranski, of Hollis, Maine, said the new M30A1 round is being implemented to limit duds by replacing the smaller explosives with 180,000 tungsten steel bee-bee-sized balls. “This particular round will be effective against light skinned vehicles and personnel,” he said.

The US 197th Field Artillery Brigade is credited as the first to test the munitions for USARCENT from a High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System, also known as a HIMARS rocket system, at Udairi Training Range.

“We successfully demonstrated what the capabilities of this new round are,” Szafranski said. “A high explosive round is very impressive because it produces a big bomb and large pieces of shrapnel, but this round is small pellets and covers a much larger area.”