The contract has been secured with Australia, a partner in the F-35A program, which has consistently demonstrated strong support for the APEX ammunition since its inception. Production is due to start in 2025, with deliveries scheduled over the following two years. The APEX ammunition is set to become an important part of Australia’s combat capabilities for the foreseeable future.
“This contract underscores Nammo’s commitment to innovation and excellence in defence technology. Our APEX ammunition is recognised as the most capable aircraft ammunition ever deployed, and its performance against a diverse range of targets sets it apart”, said Reijo Bragberg, Executive Vice President of Nammo’s Small and Medium Caliber business unit.
Nammo, in collaboration with Norwegian government partners, including the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (FMA) and the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), has invested substantial resources over nearly two decades in research, development, testing, and qualification to achieve flight release for the F-35A aircraft.
Facts about 25 mm x 137 APEX PGU-47/U
The 25 mm x 137 APEX PGU-47/U ammunition developed by Nammo has several unique features that set it apart from other aircraft ammunition:
- Multi-role capability: APEX combines armor-piercing and explosive effects in a single round, allowing it to be effective against a wide variety of targets including armored, semi-armored, and light targets.
- Advanced penetrator: It utilises a tungsten carbide penetrator for armor piercing capability.
- Explosive warhead: The round contains an explosive-filled warhead with delayed initiation, delivering blast, fragmentation, and incendiary effects inside the target.
- Extended range: APEXimproves aerodynamic performance, maintaining speed for longer and increasing effective range.
- High accuracy: The ammunition provides greater accuracy compared to rounds used in older systems like the M61 Vulcan cannon.
- Versatility: APEX is designed to be effective against both air and ground targets.
- Graze impact function: The round remains effective even in glancing hits, unlike some other ammunition types that require direct impact.
- Advanced fuze: It uses a dual-safety fuze (FMU-171/U) with a safe arming distance from the aircraft and detonation delay in target.
- Tracer capability: The round also serves as a tracer, important for missions like air policing where warning shots need to be visible.
- Compatibility: APEX is designed specifically for use with the F-35A’s GAU-22/A cannon.
- These features combine to make the APEX ammunition a highly capable and versatile option for modern air combat scenarios.
About Nammo
Nammo AS is an international aerospace and defence company headquartered in Raufoss, Norway. With more than 3600 Employees, 27 production sites and a presence in 11 countries, Nammo is one of the world’s leading providers of specialty
ammunition, shoulder-fired weapons and rocket motors.
