Action Plus
Oto Melara, part of Italy’s Finmeccanica group (Stand 1711), has completed development of a new 3AP (3 Action Plus) multifunction programmable fuze and is now undertaking series production under contract to the Italian Navy.
Programmable fuzing offers an efficient and flexible solution to meet the future threat scenario, allowing common ammunition to be used in a multiplicity of operational modes (according to functions of impact, proximity and time). 3AP is designed to confer this capability to any of the Oto Melara 76mm gun systems currently in service with more than 50 navies worldwide.
Working in co-operation with Simmel Difesa, Oto Melara has engineered 3AP to meet requirements for operation in very severe electromagnetic environments (for example, very close to the sea surface or in the face of powerful electromagnetic radiation), improved lethality and reduced collateral effects. To achieve these ends, the system incorporates advanced miniaturised digital electronics and real-time data processing functionality.
The Italian Navy sees the 3AP integrated with pre-fragmented ammunition. The new fuze allows the selection of the designated mode of operation just prior to firing through a dedicated Fuze Setting Device (FSD) installed in the gun.This is a digital equipment that provides a fuze cut-out and real-time programming capability in flight, and is continuously updated by the ship’s weapon control system before firing with predicted time of flight and target speed.
On receiving commands from the weapon control system, the FSD programs the 3AP fuze by selecting the appropriate software as a function of the last target information received. To maximise electronic counter-countermeasures performance, the FSD keeps the fuze receiver switched off up to a few milliseconds before intercept.
According to Oto Melara, the integration of FSD into an existing 76/62 gun system can be achieved with minimal impact. More than 500 3AP fuzes were fired in live trials in the development phase. The company reported that all results “were extremely successful, confirming the expected performance in any operational scenario”. Production deliveries to the Italian Navy will begin by mid-2007.
Oto Melara is currently contracted to deliver an initial quantity of more than 1,500 fuzes.
 Impact delay angle 45º |