1. Mine Counter Measure using MEA

2. Background: Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System (RAMICS)
The Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System (RAMICS) is one of four airborne mine countermeasures systems
A laser-imaging, helicopter-borne gun system, designed by Northrop Grumman Corporation for the U.S. Navy to destroy mines at sea, fires at underwater targets with a 30mm MK44 Bushmaster II cannon manufactured by ATK Armament Systems
The 30mm MK44 Bushmaster II cannon fires a supercavitating round ( MK258 Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot-Tracer {APFSDS-T} Anti-Mine Projectile Hydroballistic Ammo 30mm Ammunition). Unlike conventional projectiles that lose velocity upon hitting water, a supercavitating round has a unique configuration allowing it to maintain velocity, direction and kinetic energy, after entering water, to destroy a mine upon impact
RAMICS is designed to obtain target data from another Northrop Grumman mine countermeasures product: the Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS)
Problems
Requires use of helicopter-mounted 30mm MK44 Bushmaster II cannon which helicopters are not designed to fire as there is too much recoil
Helicopter platform is required as supercavitating rounds used by RAMICS need at least a 50 degree elevation to maintain its velocity upon entering water

3. Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS)
North Grumman received a $27M contract to upgrade and modify the ALMDS
The AN/AES-1 ALMDS is the first airborne organic mine countermeasure system designed to:
Detect
Classify
Pinpoint floating and near surface moored mines
Use light detection and ranging (LIDAR)
Aspects of the mine countermeasure mission package are found on the Navy’s new LCS
Deployed on the MH-60 helicopter

4. The MH-60S
The ALMDS is integrated into the MH-60S helicopter to provide a rapid wide area reconnaissance and assessment of mine threats in mainly confined straits or choke points
The MH-60S deploys the AQS-20A Mine Detection System and an Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) for identifying submerged objects in coastal waters
ALMDS is used for the mine countermeasures (MCM) on the new Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).

5. Archerfish Airborne Mine Neutralization System
The system is designed to work in concert with sonar systems. The sonar systems localize and identify sea mines, after which the AMNS reacquires and destroys the mines with a self contained shaped charge.
MH-60S aircrews will utilize the Archerfish neutralization system to remotely navigate to the target from the helicopter using information gained from the systems onboard sonar and ultimately its camera while in close proximity to its intended target. After the neutralizer reaches its target, the operator initiates the burning of the shaped charge, which destroys the target.
It cost around $100K to destroy a mine

6. M.E.A. - Multi Environment Ammunition
Cost Effective Solution: Rapid Airborne Mine Neutralization System with the .50 cal MG/MEA or a 20mm Gun/MEA
M.E.A. - Multi Environment Ammunition
(The 12.7mm APSX) or 20mm MEA

7. Current Ammo Problems with current (standard) ammo
Conventional rounds fired from the air do not work in water. Trying to defend against water-borne attacks , such as swarming boats, where rounds have to penetrate water barriers, such as waves, to hit a target is futile.
Conventional rounds in route to a target, instead of entering the water, may ricochet off the water’s surface, losing velocity and also proving futile against swarm attacks
Destroying mines and defending against swarming surface attacks are excellent applications of supercavitating rounds
While various forms of supercavitating ammunition have existed for many years, they have major drawbacks:
require steep angle of water entry (>60 degrees) – so unsuitable for firing from surface vessels
require fins for stable flight, so much larger caliber weapon needed
(30mm cannon to fire 9mm dart – RAMICS)
Core
Cavity boundary

8. Why MEA? The US Navy needs new rounds for the RAMICS
The RAMICS program limitations due to:
30mm cannon needed to fire just 9mm darts
MK258 Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot-Tracer (APFSDS-T), Anti-Mine Projectile Hydroballistic Ammo 30mm Ammunition
Requires a Helicopter Platform
The 12.7 mm APSX MEA is in production in the USA
Can be fired from:
Ships due to low entry angle
Helicopters – using existing .50 cal weapons
UUVs – Mount .50 cal and fire 12.7 mm MEA
No need to install heavy 30mm gun
.50 cal or a 20mm gun with MEA can do the job
Lighter, safer and more deployable solution
Proven in sea trials against real underwater targets

9. The Most Effective Solutions for Destroying Mines
The 12.7mm APSX MEA (only requires an ammo change)
Achieve mine destruction with only .50 caliber
Immediately deployable in standard weapons on surface and airborne platforms
Enables use of UUV as re-usable mine countermeasures platform
MEA rounds enter the water without danger of ricocheting even when multiple air/water entries are involved (i.e. passing through waves)
Are capable of penetrating steel targets underwater at an underwater range up to 60m for 12.7mm
Rapid response clearance capability against near-surface and surface (floating) moored mines
Higher performance and lower cost compared to older supercavitating rounds
Standoff capability to destroy mines with great speed and accuracy
MEA rounds enter or leave water at very low angles
Currently in production in the USA in 12.7mm and 7.62mm

10. MEA Features Low angle water entry
Low angle armor piercing (cylindrical shapes)
Multiple-layer targets
From Air or Water to Air or Water
Calibre-sized holes (depending on application)
Burst Charges capability
Greatly extended range in air (by up to 25%)
Used in standard weapons without modification
Up to 31 times more effective energy transfer to target than MK258 design (30mm)
Calibre Air Range Underwater range
20mm
>120% standard
150 metres
12.7mm
>2000 m
60 metres

11. Detecting Mines at Sea Using Blue/Green Lasers

12. Rapid Airborne Mine Neutralization System with the M2HB or 20mm Gun/MEA
Line of Fire
System Computes:
•True Target Vector
• Slant Range
• Gimbal Angles (Roll, Pitch)
• Target Angles in FOV
•Boresight Laser Vector
• Slant Range to Surface Spot
• Spot Angles in FOV
•Line of Fire
Compensating for:
•Geometric Effects
•Ballistic Effects
•Kinematic Effects
Boresight laser
Vector to boresight laser
True target vector
Sensor FOV

13. MEA can destroy sea mines using .50 cal or 20mm gun
Advantages:
-Detect
-Classify
-Pinpoint mines- The ALMDS
-DESTROY (REAL TIME) with the MEA
7.62 = 20m
Cal .50 = 60m
20mm = 100m
Using MEA eliminates the need to install heavy 30mm guns
No need to reconfigure the Helicopter
Real time engagement/neutralization

14. Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) can destroying Mines Using the MEA
Guns
.50 cal machine gun
20mm Phalanx
No gun modification required!!!
Low Angle of Entry!!
7,62N = 20m
Cal .50 = 60m
20mm = 100m under water

15. SHOOTING FROM THE AIR INTO THE WATER (RANGE 10M)
MEA 12.7x APSX
SPECIFICATIONS
Bullet type
APSX
Bullet weight (g) 60
Core weight (g) 53
Core diameter (mm)
12.6
Muzzle velocity (m/sec)
780
Recoil Momentum (kgxs)
6.7
SHOOTING IN THE AIR
X (range in m)
V (velocity in m/sec)
E (energy in Joule)
500
651
11230
1000
524
7270
1500
402
4280
2000
326
2820
SHOOTING FROM THE AIR INTO THE WATER (RANGE 10M) 10
627
10420 20
510
6890 30
415
4560 40
338
3030 50
275
223
1320
Samples available
In production now
Discarding sabot

16. Target Effectiveness 12.7 APSX DESCRIPTION RANGE
Max supersonic range in air
>6300 feet
Max effective range in water
200 feet
Will penetrate >12 mm steel at
100 feet u/w
Proven against torpedo at
75 feet u/w

17. More capabilities with the 20mm MEA Rounds

18. Type – R 20mm MEA
Type R (MEA): air discarding sabot and spin-stabilized core
Key Factors are:
Excellent underwater range and performance
Stable flight in air out of the muzzle
Enters the water without ricocheting at low angles through multiple air/water interfaces (i.e. passing through waves)
Excellent armor piercing capability, even at low angles
Sub-caliber, but larger diameter or projectile than MK258, enables internal fuse, bursting charge or tracer, if required
Compatible with standard weapons
Compromise ‘best of both worlds’ option – air/water/low water angle/ enhance performance
Greater specific impact energy at any given range underwater

19. Shooting from the air into the water at range 100m
Calculated characteristics of 20…30-mm ammunition with “Type R” underwater rounds
Ammunition
20x102
20x128
25x137
25x184
30x173
Ammunition length, mm
168
203
223
288
290
Projectile weight, gram 97
110
172
222
250
Core weight, gram 72 82
130
180
190
Core diameter, mm
12.7
15.6
17.6
18.0
Core area, cm2
1.26
1.91
2.43
2.54
Muzzle velocity, m/sec
1160
1300
1120
1180
1340
Recoil momentum, kg x s
16.8
22.4
31.8
44.6
59.7
Shooting from the air into the water at range 100m
Velocity
“V” (m/sec)
and energy
“E” (k Joule)
at underwater range “X” (m) X V E 30
700
902
33.4
781
39.6
831
62.2
984
92.0 60
423
6.4
625
16.0
545
19.3
585
30.8
722
49.5 90
256
2.6
433
7.7
380
9.4
412
15.3
530
26.7
120
155
0.9
300
3.7
265
4.6
7.5
389
14.4
150 -
209
1.8
185
2.2
204
286
7.8

20. Type – F 20mm MEA Type F: air discarding sabot and fin stabilized core
Can provide a solution that builds upon the investment made in RAMICS by offering an incremental improvement in overall system performance. This involves replacing the supercavitating core in the current MK258 round with a compatible fin-stabilized projectile designed to use MEA’s cavitating core patent
Key Factors are:
Penetrator diameter remains unchanged (9mm)
Weapon interface with ammunition remains fundamentally unchanged
Projectile is still fin-stabilized
Design still uses a discarding sabot
No weapon modification is necessary
Kinetic Energy at range underwater is 6 times greater than with current MK258 supercavitating projectile

21. Shooting from the air into the water at range 100m
Calculated characteristics of 20…30-mm ammunition with “Type F” underwater rounds
Ammunition
20x102
20x128
25x137
25x184
30x173
Ammunition length, mm
168
203
223
288
290
Projectile weight, gram
110
120
170
190
230
Core weight, gram 85 95
130
150
Core diameter, mm
9.0
Core area, cm2
0.64
Muzzle velocity, m/sec
1080
1240
1130
1270
1390
Recoil momentum, kg x s
17.2
22.8
31.8
43.9
59.1
Shooting from the air into the water at range 100m
Velocity
“V” (m/sec)
and energy
“E” (k Joule)
at underwater range “X” (m) X V E 30
705
21.1
876
36.4
897
52.3
1039
81.0
1165
115 60
461
618
18.1
712
32.9
850
54.2
976
80.9 90
301
3.9
437
565
20.7
695
36.2
817
56.7
197
1.6
308
4.5
449
13.1
568
24.2
685
39.9
129
0.7
218
2.3
356
8.2
465
16.2
574
28.0

22. Type-U 20mm MEA Type U: water-discarding sabot Key Factors are:
During flight through air, projectile is stabilized by the sabot, which operates as the tail fin. Most suitable for underwater targets
Key Factors are:
Optimum underwater range and specific impact energy (30 times impact energy/m2 compared to current MK258)
Smooth bore or rifled weapons can be used
Weapon does not require modification
Low angle of water entry enables deployment from ships/boats/aircraft

23. Shooting from the air into the water at range 100m
Calculated characteristics of 20…30-mm ammunition with “Type U” underwater rounds
Ammunition
20x102
20x128
25x137
25x184
30x173
Ammunition length, mm
168
203
223
288
290
Projectile weight, gram
105
115
165
220
250
Core weight, gram 82 90
125
180
200
Core diameter, mm
12.7
14.5
16.0
16.5
Core area, cm2
1.26
1.65
2.0
2.13
Muzzle velocity, m/sec
1110
1270
1150
1190
1340
Recoil momentum, kg x s
17.2
22.6
31.5
44.6
59.7
Shooting from the air into the water at range 100m
Velocity
“V” (m/sec)
and energy
“E” (k Joule)
at underwater range “X” (m) X V E 30
770
24.3
940
39.8
883
48.7
991
88.4
1163
169 60
534
11.7
697
21.9
678
28.7
825
61.2
992
123
370
5.6
516
12.0
521
17.0
687
42.5
854
91.2
120
257
2.7
383
6.8
400
10.0
572
29.4
735
67.5
150
178
1.3
283
3.6
307
5.9
476
20.4
633
50.1

24. Additional Supercavitation Benefits
Enhanced Effect of the ‘Super’ Cavity
Near misses are still effective
Destructive effect of collapsing cavity even with 300mm near misses
Cavity persists in water (more than 30 metres for 30mm)
Increases chances of destroying target

25. More Capabilities with MEA
Without MEA
30 mm cannon required
Heavy weapon
Excessive recoil
9mm penetrator
Fins required
High angle ( >60 deg) needed
Must be helicopter fired
Multiple passes required for
detect to engagement sequence
With MEA
12.7 / 20 / 25 / 27 / 30 mm MEA
Lighter-weight weapon
Acceptable recoil
12.7 mm and larger
With or w/o fins
Very low angles ( >2 deg)
Ship, land, or air platform
MEA can neutralize naval mines from high or low angles

26. Comparison of “W” parameters for 30mm ammunition
E – energy of collision between core (bullet) and target
S – area of contact between core (bullet) and target
Parameter of effect upon target & explosive:
W = E x S (k Joule x cm2)
Ammunition
30x173
Projectile type R U F
RAMICS
Parameter “W” at underwater range “X” X W m
k Joule x cm2 30
233
360
73.6
50.1 60
125
262
51.8
25.6 90
67.8
194
36.3
13.0
120
36.6
144
25.5
6.6
150
19.8
106
17.9
3.4
At 150metres underwater range, MEA types have up to 31 x greater Kinetic Energy Area compared to MK258 projectile – from same weapon

27. Conclusions
RAMICS program limited due to 30mm rounds (darts) fired from a helicopter – not usable from ships
The 12.7mm APSX MEA is a perfect solution!
Currently in production within the USA
Can accomplish the mine countermeasures mission with .50 caliber weapons already installed
Can be fired from a helicopter or from a ship due to its low entry angle capability
The ALMDS is integrated into the MH-60S helicopter to provide a rapid wide area reconnaissance and assessment of mine threats in mainly confined straits or choke points. Just by installing a .50 cal into the MH-60S, pilots can destroy mines with the MEA immediately after detecting them. No need to reconfigure the MH 60S with the Archerfish.
Only needs an ammo change and no gun modification
Provides a cost effective solution (Less than $10k/Mines)
The 12.7mm APSX MEA is available NOW!

28. Reference Points
NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG)
Study 159 ‘Hardkill Torpedo Countermeasures’ recommended MEA supercavitating gunfire as the best complementary hardkill solution to Anti-Torpedo Torpedo for ship defense (June 2012)
A European navy has successfully trialed MEA 12.7 APSX against torpedo with ‘fatal damage’ to real (static) torpedo, fired from air to water with single shots, through 25 metres of water at 15 degrees angle of incidence. (Scaled trial: actual application will use Medium Calibre)
DSGT has proven MEA effectiveness against a real torpedo at 125 metres underwater range, using 30mm MEA, penetrating at very low angles
MEA independently evaluated by NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) study as most effective hardkill solution for ship defence

29. For more information, please contact:
Thank You
For more information, please contact:
SG Chung