XM1204 (HEAB-T)
The XM1204 High Explosive Air Burst is a 50 x 228 mm munition developed for the US military.[1] The projectile itself is 50 mm in diameter, and is of an advanced design
Picatiny is slated to manufacture a 50mm chain-gun, to use this munition, and the related XM1203 Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot with Trace round.[1] The cannon is a larger and more modern version of the 25 mm Bushmaster cannon used on Bradley fighting vehicles, various armored cars related to the Stryker, and as the main armament on smaller naval vessels, and a secondary armament on larger vessels.
Chain-guns are autocannons that use an external power source to cycle rounds through the weapon.[1] This differs from firearms and most autocannons, which harness some of the energy of the exploding round to cycle the weapon. When power is available from a vehicle's engine or battery, the gunner has more control over the rate of fire, and the weapon is not stopped when a dud is encountered.
The XM1204 is designed to work with the cannon's aiming system.[1] When the gunner aims his or her sight on the desired target the aiming system calculates the range, and how long the projectile should fly in order to explode at the target range, or just after the target range. A round that explodes above a wall, or trench, or other obstacle can wound or kill enemies hiding behind the obstacle, without having to blow a hole in the obstacle. The cannon is capable of programming each round's range as it is being fired.
