Ramona Adams
Orbital ATK has begun to create a line of medium-caliber ammunition for MK44 XM813 and XM914 Bushmaster Chain Guns, Jane’s 360 reported Friday.
The new ammunition variants are designed to feature command-guided, proximity fuze and air burst functions as well as deliver support for various land and air combat platforms, the report noted.
Orbital ATK is producing new munition types based on technologies that the company developed under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency‘s Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance program.
The EXACTO program sought to produce a guided .50-caliber round that uses optical sensors and aero-actuation controls to boost sniping accuracy in long-range engagements during day and night.
Tim Strusz, business development director at Orbital ATK’s precision weapons arm, told Jane’s that the guided munition is intended to deliver a “one shot, one kill capability in one round.”
