Smoke and Chemical Projectiles

M110 Series Smoke Projectiles:

The M110 series includes various models designed for generating smoke on the battlefield. These projectiles contain white phosphorus (WP), which is effective for creating smoke screens, marking targets, or obscuring the enemy’s view.

M110 Series Smoke Projectiles:

1. M110, M110E1, M110A1, M110A2 (M110E2), M110A2 (M110E3), M116 WP SMOKE:
   • Type: Smoke
   • Purpose: The M110 series is primarily used to create smoke screens, mask movements, mark positions, or obscure enemy observation.
   • Fill: White phosphorus (WP) – produces a dense, white smoke upon exposure to oxygen.
   • Effect: These projectiles are effective in creating instant smoke screens that are also incendiary due to the burning phosphorus.
   • Tactical Use: These smoke projectiles are used to hinder enemy vision, provide cover for advancing troops, or mark locations for targeting and signaling.

M110 Series Chemical Projectiles:

1. M110, H/HD, H GAS:
   • Type: Chemical
   • Purpose: The chemical variants of the M110 series are designed to disperse chemical agents. H/HD indicates a mustard gas variant, which is a blister agent used for incapacitation.
   • Effect: These projectiles contain hazardous chemical agents intended to incapacitate or deny access to an area.
   • Note: The use of chemical projectiles is subject to international conventions and treaties, including restrictions under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

DPICM (Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munition) Family:

• The M110 series is part of the DPICM family of artillery projectiles. DPICM projectiles are designed to serve dual purposes:
  • Anti-Personnel: The bomblets dispersed from the projectile produce fragments that are highly effective against personnel.
  • Anti-Materiel: These bomblets are equipped with shaped charges that are effective against lightly armored vehicles and other structures.

General Characteristics of Smoke and Chemical Projectiles:

• Weight: Smoke and chemical projectiles are typically of the same caliber (155 mm) as standard artillery shells and have similar weights (generally around 43-47 kg depending on the specific type and fill).
• Length: The length of these projectiles is comparable to standard high-explosive rounds, making them compatible with standard artillery systems like the M777, FH70, and CAESAR.
• Use of White Phosphorus: White phosphorus rounds ignite on contact with air, creating dense smoke while also posing an incendiary threat, making them effective for area denial and obscuration but hazardous to personnel.

Tactical Use of Smoke and Chemical Projectiles:

• Smoke Screens: Creating cover for troop movements, obscuring enemy sightlines, and marking specific locations on the battlefield.
• Marking: Used to mark targets for coordinated attacks or for directing the movement of friendly forces.
• Obscuration: Employed to obscure observation points or deny the enemy the ability to view key areas.
• Chemical Warfare: The use of chemical variants (H/HD, H GAS) was historically intended for incapacitation, but such use is now largely prohibited under international law.

The M110 series projectiles have evolved over time, with various versions developed for smoke and chemical warfare purposes, each tailored to specific battlefield roles while fitting within the larger family of DPICM projectiles that provide versatile capabilities in modern artillery warfare.

These projectiles are fired from 155 mm howitzers to create a smoke screen. They also have a slight incendiary effect.

155 mm projectiles include Smoke WP (white phosphorus), H GAS (poisonous substance), and H/HD (poisonous substance for area contamination).

The M110 and M110E1 primarily consist of a steel casing that houses an M6 fuze charged with TNT, which runs through the center of the casing, and a filling of 7.08 kg of WP (white phosphorus) or H GAS (poisonous substance).

A nose adapter is threaded to attach a fuze, and a lifting plug is installed in the nose fuze cavity for transportation and loading/unloading. The rotating band surrounds the shell casing near the base and is protected by a sleeve during transportation, which should be removed before loading the projectile into the barrel.

These projectiles typically use a PD (Point Detonating) fuze. Except for the WP content, these projectiles are identical to the H/HD projectile. Their ballistics are similar to those of the M483A1 cluster projectile.

• Maximum Range: Up to 18.7 km (39-caliber barrel)
• Weight with Fuze: 42.9 kg
• Length without Fuze: 680 mm
• Body Material: Forged steel
• Explosive Charge: 5.3 kg
• Packaging: Wooden pallet containing 8 projectiles

• emperature Range: -40°C to +52°C
• Ballistics Similar to: M483A1 Projectile

The shell is fired from 155-mm howitzers to create a smoke screen and for observation.

Structurally, the shell is a steel casing containing four canisters of a chemical smoke mixture.

The filler of the casing can be hexachloroethane-zinc (HC) or a smoke mixture of green, red, or yellow color.

The canisters are conical and match the curvature of the shell. An expelling charge of black powder is placed in the nose section. A plug is placed in the fuze cavity for transportation.

Upon burst, a smoke cloud is formed within 30 seconds, with smoke dissemination ending after 60 seconds.

In the M116B1 model, the expelling charge is contained in a polyethylene cup. Additionally, the copper obturating disk used in the M116 model was replaced with a steel disk in the newer model.

Ballistics and configuration are the same as those of the high-explosive (HE) shell M107.

Maximum range – up to 18.7 km (39 caliber)

Weight with fuze:

• HC – 43 kg
• Colored – 39.11 kg

Length without fuze – 670.8 mm

Body material – forged steel

Packaging – wooden pallet for 8 units.

• Temperature range: from -40°C to +52°C

• A yellow stripe on the body indicates that the shell is new, while a green stripe indicates it has been refurbished.

• Ballistics are similar to the M107 shell.

• Nomenclature by DODAC: (smoke color) HC – D548 Red – D549 Yellow – D551 Green – D547 Violet – D554

• Shell Launch: The M116 HC shell is fired from a 155-mm howitzer, providing a flight range of up to 18.7 km depending on the elevation angle and the charge used.

• Fuze Activation: After reaching the set trajectory point, the fuze activates the expelling charge. The fuze can be either time-based or impact-based, depending on the desired effect.

• Expelling Charge Activation: The expelling charge, located in the nose section of the shell, consists of black powder. It expels the canisters containing the smoke mixture from the shell casing. In the M116B1 model, the expelling charge is contained in a polyethylene cup, which contributes to better stability and safety.

The 155-mm Smoke DM 105 HC shell is one of three shells developed as a result of a trilateral agreement between Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom regarding the development of the 155-mm towed howitzer FH-70 and corresponding ammunition. The Smoke DM 105 was developed by Rheinmetall W & M GmbH and is produced by Buck Werke GmbH & Co, Bad Reichenhall, and Simmel Difesa SpA (Italy).

The DM 105 is a carrier shell with a body made of high-quality forged steel, typically equipped with a clockwork-type mechanical fuze. It contains a powder booster (in the nose section), an ejection mechanism, and four smoke blocks placed inside the shell body.

During operation, the flash from the fuze initiates ignition, which is transferred to the booster made of black powder weighing 6.5 g. The booster activates the ejection mechanism, which ignites a 15 g powder bag inside a cylindrical metal casing. Under pressure, the four smoke blocks are expelled. The flash from the ejection charge also ignites the four smoke canisters.

The canisters are dispersed by centrifugal force. It takes 4.5 seconds for complete ignition of the smoke canister, which also coincides with the time of descent to the ground. The fall velocity is approximately 30 m/s, depending on weather conditions.

Each canister contains a white smoke mixture of hexachloroethane/zinc (HC) in a cylindrical metal casing and burns for 3 to 3.5 minutes (depending on conditions), creating a smoke screen that can cover an area of up to 200 by 50 m, with a height of 10-15 m, provided that the shell bursts at a distance of 150 m above ground level (under normal atmospheric conditions).

Shell weight: – 43.1 kg
Weight of 4 canisters: – 8 kg
Expelling charge: – 15 g
Length with fuze: – 875 mm
Length without fuze: – 778.5 mm
Operating temperature range: from -32 to +52°C
Authorized fuzes: – MT L92A2, DM 153

The DM 105 shell has similar ballistic characteristics to the M483 shell. However, note that the optimal height for the expelling charge activation is 150-200 m, whereas for the M483A1, it is no less than 300 meters. Accordingly, when using the Kropyva system, make an adjustment to the height (time) if selecting settings for the M483A1.
Flight time of the canister is 4.5 s, with a velocity of 30 m/s.

Range table for firing with the 155-mm FH-70 howitzer:

• M4A2 charge 3 – 4800 m
• M4A2 charge 4 – 6200 m
• M4A2 charge 5 – 8500 m
• M4A2 charge 6 – 11,200 m
• M4A2 charge 7 – 14,200 m
• M203A1, L10A1 – 24,700 m (maximum muzzle velocity 827 m/s)

• Shell Launch: The M116 HC shell is fired from a 155-mm howitzer, providing a flight range of up to 18.7 km depending on the elevation angle and the charge used.

• Fuze Activation: After reaching the set trajectory point, the fuze activates the expelling charge. The fuze can be either time-based or impact-based, depending on the desired effect.

• Expelling Charge Activation: The expelling charge, located in the nose section of the shell, consists of black powder. It expels the canisters containing the smoke mixture from the shell casing. In the M116B1 model, the expelling charge is contained in a polyethylene cup, which contributes to better stability and safety.

The LU 214 smoke shell is a French-made shell, designed for firing with 39 and 52 caliber guns. It shares the same ballistic characteristics as the LU211 high-explosive shell (HB/BB).

The activation of the fuze causes detonation of the explosive charge, which, in turn, results in the opening of the upper casing of the shell and the expulsion of white phosphorus within a radius of 25-30 m. White phosphorus ignites spontaneously upon contact with air, producing thick white smoke.

The shell is filled with 8.7 kilograms of white phosphorus and, like the LU211, is available with either a hollow base (HB) or a base bleed unit (BB) to increase the range.

Maximum range (39 caliber):

• HB – 24.7 km
• BB – 30 km

Weight without fuze:

• HB – 43.25 kg
• BB – 44.65 kg

Length with fuze:

• HB – 865 mm
• BB – 867 mm

Amount of white phosphorus – 8.4/8.7 kg

Maximum initial velocity of the shell:

• HB – 939 m/s
• BB – 946 m/s

Smoke screen size – R200 m
Smoke screen duration – 180 seconds

The LU214 shell has similar ballistic characteristics to the LU211 shell.

As of November 12, 2023, the LU 211 shell is not described in Kropyva.

The LU211 HB shell can be equated to the L15A11 in Kropyva for FH70. The LU211 BB (base bleed) shell can be roughly equated to the flight of the M864 cluster shell, though of course without considering the seconds for an airburst. Here, overflight is expected.

The BB variant of the LU 211 shell is not a rocket-assisted projectile, so it cannot be compared to the M549 (RAP) shell.

The M825 and M825A1 shells are American-made smoke shells. Upon burst, they generate white phosphorus smoke (WPS), which remains active for 5-10 minutes over an area of 150-250 m², depending on weather conditions.

The shell is filled with 116 elements that are dispersed in an elliptical pattern over the designated area by centrifugal force after the expelling charge is activated. Each of the 116 elements is a source of smoke generation (WP). The ballistic characteristics are similar to the M483A1 shell (DPICM). It typically operates with the M577 fuze.

The difference between the older M825 and the newer M825A1 is the improved stability of the shell’s flight and increased payload.

• Weight: 46.5 kg
• Length with fuze:
  • M825: 899 mm
  • M825A1: 886.5 mm
• Temperature range: -46 to +63°C

Smoke generation by elements: 40-90 seconds

The LU214 projectile has similar ballistic characteristics to the M483A1 projectile

The effective height of the knockout charge for small targets with a front of up to 150 m – 150 m.

Smoke is safe for the enemy.

Specifics of use
Range table on different charges (M109 gun):
M3A1 charge 1 – 3640 m
M3A1 charge 2 – 4570 m
M3A1 charge 3 – 5590 m
M3A1 charge 4 – 7080 m
M3A1 charge 5 – 9050 m
M4A2 charge 3 – 6490 m
M4A2 charge 4 – 7720 m
M4A2 charge 5 – 9420 m
M4A2 charge 6 – 11730 m
M4A2 charge 7 – 14320 m

4 weight labels of yellow color according to Kryvya is the “norm”

Analyze and experiment with trip time (break height).

Description

The 155 mm ERFB Smoke WP projectile has the same general shape and dimensions as other 155 mm ERFB projectiles and uses a single-component body made of high-quality steel. The streamlined ogive nearly reaches the copper or gilded metal driving band and the plastic obturator ring at the base. The drag-reducing block is a steel component with an external cavity in the ERFB version, while in the ERFB-BB version, the base is occupied by a steel base bleed block.

Development

The 155 mm ERFB Smoke WP projectile is an explosive projectile developed alongside the 155 mm HE ERFB projectiles, as they share virtually the same body. The 155 mm ERFB and ERFB-BB versions are manufactured in Europe by Eurometaal, while those previously produced in South Africa are now available on demand. Chartered Ammunition Industries from Singapore also manufactures the 155 mm ERFB Smoke WP, as well as the Austrian company NORICUM and the Malaysian Enigma Technical Solutions.

For full information about this projectile, please refer to the LINK.

• Technical Specifications

  Weight:

  • ERFB projectile with fuze: 47.7 kg
  • ERFB-BB projectile with fuze: 50 kg
  • M1 WP ERFB, nominal weight: 47.7 kg
  • ERFB SMOKE (WP) M09 (Malaysia): 45.5 kg
  • Filling: 7.6 kg WP

  Length with Fuze:

  • ERFB: 938 mm
  • ERFB-BB: 958 mm

  Diameter:

  • At the driving band: 154.69 mm
  • At the base: 157.86 mm

  Chamber Pressure (Typical): 3,500 bar

  Muzzle Velocity:

  • ERFB: 897 m/s
  • ERFB-BB: 895 m/s

  Maximum Range:

  • ERFB: 30,000 m
  • ERFB-BB: 38,000 m

  Operational Temperature Range: from -20 to +60°C

  Approved Fuzes:

  • Point Detonation (PD): M557, series M78, M572, M739, Fuchs PD M841
  • Mechanical Time-Safe (MTSQ): M564, M582A1
  • Proximity: series M514, Fuchs M8513
  • Electronic: NINA, ZELAR, Fuchs M8611, and others

  For full information about this projectile, please refer to the LINK.

Similar Projectiles:

China:

• Manufacturer: China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO)
• Type: 155 mm ERFB Smoke WP
• Description: Equipped with PD M739 fuze. Produces smoke for 55–65 seconds. Projectile weight: 46.5 kg, muzzle velocity: 795.5 m/s. Maximum range: 26,000 m (ERFB).

Netherlands:

• Manufacturer: Eurometaal NV
• Type: 155 mm ERFB and ERFB-BB Smoke WP
• Description: Meets the specified characteristics. Available for production. Also manufactures the propelling charge No. 16.

Singapore:

• Manufacturer: Chartered Ammunition Industries
• Type: 155 mm ERFB-HB-WP, ERFB-BB-WP
• Description: Standard specifications. Also produces the unitary cartridge C30. Range for ERFB-HB-WP from 39 caliber barrels is 24,400 m, and for ERFB-BB-WP is 30,500 m.

South Africa:

• Manufacturer: Denel (Pty) Limited (SWARTKLIP)
• Type: 155 mm ERFB or ERFB-BB M1 WP
• Description: Meets the specified characteristics. Developed for LIW 155 mm G5 and G6 artillery systems. Production as needed.

Switzerland:

• Manufacturer: NORICUM
• Type: SEN-155 mm WP-Smoke
• Description: Offered by T & T Technology Trading Limited. Weight with tail: 48 kg, with BB: 50 kg. Equipped with PD M739 or ET DM 52 fuze.

For full information about this projectile, please refer to the LINK.