SMArt 155
A cutaway view of a SMArt 155 round, showing both submunitions. In this picture the lower submunition is itself shown in cutaway.
TypeSmart submunition artillery projectile
Place of originGermany
Service history
In serviceSince 2000
Used bySee operators
Production history
Designed1989–1995
Manufacturer
ProducedSince 1998
Specifications
Mass47.3 kg (104 lb) fused
Length898 mm (35.4 in) fused
Diameter155 mm (6.1 in)
Maximum firing range
  • 22.5 km (14 mi) from 39‐caliber barrels
  • 27.5 km (17.1 mi) from 52‐caliber barrels
Filling2 x autonomous anti‐armour and anti‐artillery submunitions
ReferencesJanes[1]

The SMArt 155 is a German 155 mm artillery round designed for a long-range, indirect fire top-attack role against armoured vehicles. The projectile was developed in 1989 by Diehl BGT Defence in Überlingen, Germany, with Rheinmetall and started full-rate production for the German Army in 1998. It consists of a 47-kilogram (104 lb) heavy artillery projectile containing two autonomous, sensor-fused, "fire-and-forget" submunitions. Due to the submunitions, it has been considered by some to be a cluster munition. As of 2008, representatives of the German defense ministry have referred to it as not being classified as submunition weapons, which were prohibited by the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Description

The name SMArt 155 is a contraction of its German name, Suchzünder Munition für die Artillerie 155 (meaning "sensor-fuse munition for 155mm artillery").

History

The projectile was developed in 1989,[2] and GIWS started full-rate production for the German Army in 1998.[3]

Design

Schematic of the SMArt 155 round
Schematic of the SMArt 155 round

SMArt 155 is a 155 mm NATO artillery round designed to be fired from the Panzerhaubitze 2000 and the M109 howitzers, including the Paladin variant.[4] It consists of a 47-kilogram (104 lb) heavy artillery projectile containing two autonomous, sensor-fused, fire-and-forget submunitions.[4] The submunitions each contain a high-penetration EFP warhead for use against heavy armoured fighting vehicles such as main battle tanks. The EFP warhead uses a heavy metal liner.[5]

After the submunition is released, it opens a parachute. While slowly descending, the submunition rotates, scanning the area below with an infrared sensor and a millimeter wave radar.[4][5]

The utilization of several types of sensors allows SMArt 155 to be used in all terrain types and weather conditions.[6]

Operation

Phase Picture Description
1 An artillery piece fires a SMArt-155 round A SMArt-155 round is fired from a standard rifled 155mm artillery tube.
2 The round flies through the air The round flies on a ballistic arc, with a range of 27.5 kilometres (17.1 mi)[7]
3 The ejector pulls the submunitions clear of the shell Mid-flight a timer fuse ignites a small ejector rocket in the nose, which drags the two submunitions out of the shell casing.
4 The submunitions fall free Once clear of the shell, the submunitions fall toward the target. The shell and the nose assembly fall away.
5 The submunitions on parachutes The submunitions deploy parachutes, and independently corkscrew down over the subject area, scanning for targets.
6 A submunition explodes above a tank Once a submunition detects a target vehicle beneath it, it detonates its explosive payload. This creates a high-velocity explosively formed projectile which strikes the target vehicle from above, where the armour is relatively weak, for maximum effect.

Competing systems

US artillery largely deploys the M712 Copperhead laser-guided round for the anti-tank role.

GIWS formed a partnership with US defence contractor Alliant Techsystems, hoping to sell SMArt 155 to the United States armed forces; As of 2002, no sale had been made.[3] The US developed the similar M898 SADARM system (which also descended on a ballute to attack the top surfaces of armoured vehicles), but this was discontinued in favour of the GPS guided M982 Excalibur round.

SMArt 155 is very similar to the 155 BONUS system; BONUS descends on a system of winglets rather than a parachute.

Operators

Map with SMArt 155 operators in blue with former operators in red

Current operators

As of 2005 GIWS and its partners had also demonstrated SMArt to a number of other armies, including those of the United States, the United Arab Emirates[16] (for use in their existing G6 howitzer), Peru, and India.

Controversy about classification as submunition vs cluster munition

Various human rights organizations, such as "Aktionsbündnis Landmine.de" and Handicap International view the SMArt 155 as a cluster munition. Germany’s representatives managed to ensure that SMArt 155 did not meet criteria for cluster munition of the Oslo Agreement on the Prohibition of Cluster Bombs.[17] Critics view this exempting definition in contradiction to the United Nations' understanding of cluster munitions.[18] Critics also point out the similar effects of cluster munitions on the civilian population as in the case of unexploded ordnance or mistargeting.[19]

In July 2008, the journalist Stefan Aigner wrote: Today, Diehl is one of the most successful German arms producers. According to its own information, around one third of its profit of 2.3 billion euros comes from armaments production. Among other things, cluster munitions are produced." Diehl’s lawyers demanded a cease-and-desist declaration from Aigner. The lawyers referred to the exceptions made in the Oslo Agreement, which allegedly pose no danger to civilians. In the trial before the Munich Regional Court , Aigner and Diehl reached a settlement on March 2, 2009, after the judge made it clear that he would accept Diehl’s claim. The settlement includes that Diehl s ammunition may not be referred to as cluster munitions.[20][21] In return, Diehl assumed the costs of the proceedings.

"Intelligent Working System" came in third place in the election for Unwort des Jahres 2009.[22] Behind the harmless term "intelligent active systems" the jury saw technologically advanced types of ammunition, which are produced by a subsidiary of two armaments companies with the equally disguised company name "Gesellschaft für Intelligente Wirksysteme mbH".[23]

References

  1. ↑ Janes (19 July 2022), "155 mm DM 702 SMArt 155 ammunition system", Janes Land Warfare Weapons: Ammunition, Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Group UK Limited., retrieved 4 August 2023
  2. ↑ Jenzen-Jones, N.R. (2021). Munitions Employing Sensor-fuzed Submunitions: Do they Comply with the Convention on Cluster Munitions?. Australia: Armament Research Services. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-6485267-9-7.
  3. 1 2 "ATK Partner GIWS Achieves 100-Percent Reliability In Tests of Extended Footprint SMArt 155 Munition Precision-Guided Projectile is Part of ATK's Newly Formed Precision Systems Group". ATK press release. May 9, 2002. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 "SMArt Sensor-Fuzed Ammunition for 155mm guns". Defense-Update.com. 10 August 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  5. 1 2 "SMArt 155 Family of intelligent munition". GIWS mbh. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
  6. ↑ "SMArt 155: A new Dimension for Artillery". GIWS mbh. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
  7. ↑ "SMArt 155". deagel.com. December 30, 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 "SMArt 155 mm Munition für Australien" (in German). Behörden Spiegel Online. Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  9. ↑ "DEFENCE PURCHASES NEW ANTI-TANK ARTILLERY ROUND". Australian Department of Defence. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  10. ↑ "New precision "search and destroy" anti-armour weapon" (PDF). MoD Press release, 20 November 2007.
  11. ↑ "Armed Forces: Ballistic Sensor Fused Munitions". www.parliament.uk. Lords Hansard, 5 Jan 2010.
  12. ↑ "AS90 Braveheart 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer". Army Technology. 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
  13. ↑ https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/filestore/fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/fga/2001/779/de/pdf-a/fedlex-data-admin-ch-eli-fga-2001-779-de-pdf-a.pdf
  14. ↑ Praktikant, Praktikant (2018-11-30). "SMArt 155-mm-Produktion soll wieder anlaufen - ESUT - Europäische Sicherheit & Technik". esut.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  15. ↑ Boyko Nikolov (15 July 2022). "Ukraine uses 155mm SMArt carrier shell that seeks and destroys by itself". bulgarianmilitary.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  16. ↑ http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Missiles-And-Rockets-2005/SMArt-155-demonstrated-in-UAE.html
  17. ↑ Nagel, Sarah. "Riestern für die Rüstungsindustrie (nd-aktuell.de)". Neues Deutschland (in German). Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  18. ↑ Zumach, Andreas (2009-03-02). "Rüstungsfirma Diehl: Waffen bauen, Sprache säubern". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  19. ↑ "Alternative cluster munitions - problem or solution?" (PDF).
  20. ↑ Zumach, Andreas (2009-03-04). "Streit über Rüstungsbegriff: Vergleich im Prozess um "Streumunition"". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  21. ↑ Duwe, Silvio. "Punktzielmunition trifft Pressefreiheit" (in German). Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  22. ↑ Stefan Aigner (2010-01-10). "Intelligenter bomben mit blöden Worten" (in German). Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  23. ↑ "Sprachforscher: "Betriebsratsverseucht" ist Unwort des Jahres". FAZ.NET (in German). 2010-01-19. ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
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