Nammo is pleased to announce that the company’s ramjet rocket motor technology has gone through a successful testing and development phase.More than 300 completed rocket motor tests have yielded important feedback in the development process. The company now believes that the technology is progressing well towards a state of maturity and stability, as well as delivering on performance expectations.
THOROUGH TESTING: Nammo has already completed more than 300 motor tests. Testing so far has been very successful, showing ramjet motors can work in real life. Photo: Nammo.
The company now seeks to apply ramjet motors to artillery and missile systems. With current designs, ramjet motors can be fired from any L39 orL52/L58 artillery cannon, and have demonstrated reliable ignition and in-house flight.
Nammo has partnered with Boeing on a project that will deliver ramjet for 155mm artillery. The Boeing/Nammo expertise will benefit armed forces with both extended range, as well as a reduced need for more expensive rockets and missiles. In addition, a common, survivable round design for both L39 and L52/L58 cannons will eliminate a logistical burden.
Morten Brandtzæg, CEO, Nammo. Photo: Nammo
“In the time since Nammo presented the initial ramjet artillery concept in 2018, we have conducted hundreds of tests to validate the design and de-risk our solution,” said Morten Brandtzæg, President & CEO of Nammo. “We are confident that we are ready to complete development, integrate ramjets into artillery or missile concepts, and support allied armed forces with new capabilities.”
Ramjet technology is expected to greatly increase artillery range on the battlefield. Long-range precision fire is currently ranked as the U.S. Army’s highest modernization priority. In addition, the ramjet concept is likely to multiply ranges for both air-to-air, ground-to-air, or other missile types.
“We believe ramjets have the potential to revolutionize artillery, combining exceptional range increases with precision never before seen in artillery. We also see a potential for huge range increases on the missile side,” said Morten Brandtzæg.
Concept drawing showing the launch of a Nammo ramjet powered extreme range artillery shell from a Hanwha K9.
Nammo sees the technology as one of the most important and most promising in terms of technological advancement in the company’s history. Nammo’s ramjet technology, when brought to fruition, is also expected to have considerable positive consequences in a wider sense, generating revenue, creating jobs and raising activity levels.
“We feel our emphasis on technology and cutting-edge expertise has reinforced Nammo’s role as a world leader in the field of range extension and propulsion. And as we ramp up our capacity to deliver both in terms of production, testing and research, we hope to see a significant expansion of activity at Nammo sites,” said Morten Brandtzæg.
