THE POWER OF PRAYER PAGE 7. Picatinny-backed teams compete in FIRST robotics

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1 LIGHTER COMBAT HELMET THE POWER OF PRAYER AVIATOR LEADS THE WAY The Picatinny Voice Vol. 30 No. 7 Published in the interest of the Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., community March 31, 2017 BY AUDRA CALLOWAY Picatinny Arsenal Public Affairs Twenty-three Picatinny-sponsored high school robotics teams from area high schools met for the annual regional For Inspiration of Science and Technology (FIRST) robotics competition at Mount Olive High School in Flanders from March For the competition, each robotics team had a six-week build period to deliver a robot that could accomplish the competition s annual objective, which for 2017 is to capture and catapult balls into a target 15-feet high, pick up and carry gears from the front line to the air ship, and at the end of the game, climb a four-foot rope to gain extra points. Each of the 23 teams has a volunteer mentor from Picatinny. We sponsor around 40 robotics teams and each robotics team we sponsor gets a Picatinny mentor, said Shah Dabiri, Picatinny STEM director. Dabiri, who sponsors two robotics teams, said that the competition is more than a game -- it s a way for students to get hands-on engineering experience. You can learn trigonometry all you want in the classroom but until you sit down at a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) table and have to design a PAGE 4 PAGE 7 machine that s got robustness and survivability, that s when things like algebra, pre-algebra, trigonometry -- all that stuff comes into play, Dabiri explained. Picatinny contractor Daniel Steinmark agrees. Over the years, I ve worked on some advanced topics with them, including control theory with PID (Proportional - Integral - Derivative) loops, ballistics, computer vision, and navigation, he explained. But it s much more than just the coding or the tech. It s guiding them to organize their own thoughts into a plan to get things done. It s guiding them to organize their sub-team in a way that gets everyone involved. It s teaching them to PAGE 5 Picatinny-backed teams compete in FIRST robotics Photo by Erin Usawicz Ralph Tillinghast (right), director of the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center Collaboration Innovation Laboratory, discusses how ARDEC achieved a 50 percent weight reduction of the M2A2 Aiming Circle, a fire control device that is used for emplacing artillery and mortars. Acting Secretary of the Army Robert M. Speer, holds the new lighter prototype in black, while Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (N.J. 11th District), at left, holds the earlier version of the M2A2. Twenty-three teams with mentors from Picatinny Arsenal met for the annual regional For Inspiration of Science and Technology (FIRST) robotics competition at Mount Olive High School. Photo by Lauren Poindexter. BY AUDRA CALLOWAY Picatinny Arsenal Public Affairs Robert M. Speer, the Army s top civilian, visited Picatinny on March 27 to gain a better understanding of how the installation contributes to the strategic readiness of the Army and Joint Force. It s been an eye-opening experience to visit with you and see what you do and what you dedicate to our readiness outlook, Speer told employees after the tour. Because (readiness) starts with innovation and the drive and people that make our Army great. Accompanying Speer was Rodney Frelinghuysen, who represents New Jersey s 11th District, which includes Picatinny Arsenal, and serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. Speer, the Acting Secretary of the United States Army, spent his time in two technology forums that showcased the synergy between Picatinny s two main organizations communicate, and to learn on their own, and to teach others. It s very close to a real world activity with strict deadlines and insufficient resources. We have lots of failures, but we move on. In the end, we have lots of successes that we can be really proud of. It s definitely stressful, said Jared Ruiz, a senior at Clifton High School, who drove his team s robot during the competition and also assisted with the design and mechanical team. It s a competition and we re trying to work out the kinks, and trying to make our robot perform at its maximum capacity. Nicole Taylor, a senior at East Orange STEM Academy, said keeping the robot simple was her team s greatest challenge. Deciding to make a robot that s simple and not too extravagant. Many robots here have so many things going on and it s kind of compact. We just tried to go for a simple design that elegant, Taylor said. Out of 37 teams participating in the FIRST competition, two of the three winning teams were Picatinny-sponsored. Those were team 25 North Brunswick Township High School and team 303 from Bridgewater Raritan High School. Picatinny employee Delfin Jose Quijano See ROBOTICS, Page 2 Acting Army Secretary Speer visits Picatinny the Program Executive Office Ammunition and the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center. Picatinny Arsenal is a unique facility with a mission vital to the nation, especially the Army. The workforce here possesses knowledge and expertise that increases the lethality of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, Speer said. During his visit, Speer met with Picatinny Arsenal Senior Commander and Deputy Program Executive Officer for Ammunition, Brig. Gen. Alfred Abramson; Program Executive Officer for Ammunition, James Shields and Director of the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, John Hedderich. It was an honor to host and show Honorable Speer the many products and programs the Arsenal has developed, Abramson said. I think he was able to gain a great sense of our role when it comes to supporting See ARMY SECRETARY, Page 3

2 2 The Picatinny Voice March 31, 2017 ROBOTICS COMPETITION INSPIRES continued from Page 1 mentored team 25 and Michael Scott mentored team 303. Scott said he spends about 20 hours a week mentoring his team from January through the end of the competition season, which is mid-april. While he originally began mentoring his son s team, Scott continued as a mentor after his son graduated in Students learn several skills: Teamwork, problem solving, working under pressure and working with your hands, Scott explained. I stayed on because I enjoy seeing the kids learn and gain confidence as they try new things and work with tools they never have. It s very rewarding for me to see the kids grow over the years. In addition to receiving a sponsor, each Picatinny-backed team also received $1,500 from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and $3,500 from the U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Center s Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program office. The donation we receive from Picatinny each year is a critical component of our annual budget, wrote Ari Eisner the lead student robotics mentor, or coach, of the Warren Hills High School. Eisner explained that in a recent presentation to his board of education on the robotics program he highlighted how hundreds of thousands of dollars of scholarship money has been received by Team 219 alumni over the past five years, scholarships they were eligible for solely due to their participation in our FIRST Robotics team, Eisner wrote. Photos by Lauren Poindexter ThePicatinnyVoice Senior Commander Picatinny Arsenal and Deputy Program Executive Officer Ammunition Brig. Gen. Alfred F. Abramson III Chief, Picatinny Public Affairs Office...TimothyL.Rider Editor...Ed Lopez Assistant Editor...Eric Kowal Public Affairs Specialist...Frank Misurelli Public Affairs Specialist...Audra Calloway Public Affairs Specialist...Cassandra Mainiero Public Affairs Specialist...Lauren Poindexter Photographers......Todd Mozes, Erin Usawicz Printed on recycled paper Public Affairs Office Attn: RDAR-CPA, The Picatinny Voice, 93 Ramsey Ave., Picatinny, NJ (973) , DSN , edward.c.lopez12.civ@mail.mil This newspaper, The Picatinny Voice, is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, Picatinny, N.J., and the Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command, part of the Army Materiel Command. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Army or by North Jersey Community Newspapers of the products or services advertised. The views and opinions expressed in The Picatinny Voice are not necessarily those of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit characteristic of the purchaser, user or patron. If a violation or rejection of this equal-opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. The Picatinny Voice, circulation 5,000 copies, is an unofficial publication authorized by Army Regulation 360-1, created on desktop-publishing equipment. Editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Picatinny Public Affairs Office. All photos are U.S. Army unless otherwise stated. The Voice is published by North Jersey Community Newspapers, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Army, under exclusive written contract with ARDEC. For matters about business, advertising and subscriptions, contact the printer, North Jersey Community Newspapers, 100 CommonsWay, Rockaway, N.J., at (973) /8197. Editor s Note We want your story ideas. To reach us, please contact the editor at the Picatinny Public Affairs Office. All manuscripts, photos or artwork may not be returned without prior coordination. Digital images should be submitted at a resolution of at least 200 pixels per inch. Due to space limitations, the editor reserves the right to edit submitted articles. Contributions can be sent by to picavoice@conus.army.mil. The editorial policy of The Picatinny Voice is to accept letters to the editor and commentaries. Submissions must be signed or received via through your own account to be considered for publication, but writer s names may be withheld upon request. Opinions expressed are those of each author and not an official expression of the Department of the Army or the Command. The PicatinnyVoice reserves the right to select, reject or edit letters and articles to meet space constraints, achieve clarity or for suitability considerations.

3 ARMY NEWS SERVICE WASHINGTON (Army News Service) -- The V device worn on Army Commendation Medal and other awards, stands for valor. The device was authorized decades ago for wear on Army ribbons. The V device is still around,but joining the V now are two new devices: the C and R devices, where C denotes combat and the R means remote. Both are described fully in Military Personnel Message , titled Implementation of Department of Defense Guidance for the Newly Established C and R Devices. That message was published March 15. There s a subtle but important distinction between the V and the C, said Lt. Col. R. Arron Lummer, chief of Awards and Decorations Branch, The Adjutant General Directorate, U.S. Army Human Resources Command. The valor V device is for combat heroism, limited to a singular achievement where a Soldier demonstrated valor in combat against an armed enemy, he said. The combat C device is earned through service or achievement under combat conditions. The intent of the C device is to distinguish a particular award as having been earned in combat, since not all military awards are exclusively combat-related awards. For example, the Bronze Star Medal will not merit a C device because the medal itself recognizes service or achievement in a combat theater. The Army Commendation Medal, however, can be awarded in combat or in peacetime, so a C device would distinguish that service or achievement in combat. A typical scenario for a C device, he said, could be on an award recognizing a Soldier s meritorious service over the course of a deployment in a combat zone, commonly called an end-of-tour award. Another example may be to recognize a specific achievement made by a Soldier during a deployment, even if it is not directly-related to combat. The catch,lummer said,is the C device is intended to recognize that the particular award was earned under combat conditions. To qualify for the C device, the Soldier must be in an active area of combat where the Soldier was personally exposed to hostile action or in an area where other Soldiers were actively engaged. That s not to say the Soldier must qualify for a combat badge, states the MILPER. Lummer clarified that combat badges, like the Combat Action Badge, are awarded when a Soldier is personally engaged or engages the enemy. A C device can be awarded to a Soldier even if he or she was never personally engaged, so long as the service or achievement being recognized was in an area where such enemy actions occurred. Lummer added that it would be highly unlikely, but possible for a Soldier not to have a combat patch but be awarded a C device. In particular, a Soldier could be serving in a noncombat, contingency location but, due to the fluid nature of military operations, the situation may escalate into a combat situation, then rapidly de-escalate back to stability operations again. R DEVICE TheremoteRdeviceisrated when a Soldier remotely, but directly, contributed to a combat operation, Lummer said. ThatSoldiercanbefromany military occupational specialty, but a good example, he said, is an unmanned aerial system operator who places ordnance on a high-value target from a location away from the combat area. Lummer said a UAS operator likely would qualify for the new R device if he delivered ordnance or identified the target and was then able to talk or walk effects onto that target, whether from a raid on the ground or designating targeted munitions delivered from somewhere else. The determination a commander must make is whether the Soldier s actions from outside the operational area (not exposed to or at risk of hostile action) directly affected combat operations. HOW IT S WORN Instructions on wear of the C and R devices borrowed heavily from similar instructions on how to wear the V device, Lummer said. The new C and the R devices are the same color, size and font as the existing V device, he said. Like the V, he said, the most common award the C and R will be worn with is most likely the Army Commendation Medal, but there are others. The C device could also be worn with the: -- Distinguished Service Medal. -- Legion of Merit. -- Distinguished Flying Cross. -- Air Medal. -- Army Achievement Medal. The R device could also be worn with the: -- Legion of Merit. -- Meritorious Service Medal. -- Army Achievement Medal. Using as an example the Army Commendation Medal, if three ARCOMs were earned, that ribbon would contain two oak leaf clusters. If one or more of those ARCOMs were awarded with a C device, only one C device would be worn on the inboard side of the oak leaf clusters closest to the heart, he said. The Picatinny Voice March 31, 2017 New combat-related devices authorized for decorations Ray Colon (left), chief of the Conventional Ammunition Division of Project Manager Combat Ammunition Systems, discusses mortars with Acting Secretary of the Army Robert Speer (right), during a visit to Picatinny today while James Shields, Program Executive Officer Ammunition, looks on. Speer spent his visit familiarizing himself with the installation, its organizations and its missions within the military. Photo by Erin Usawicz. ARMY SECRETARY VISITS PICATINNY Continued from Page 1 the warfighter. Speer received presentations on a sampling of technologies, including several lethality efforts that Picatinny develops and manages for the Department of Defense. Some of these programs included the ARDEC/PEO Ammunition efforts to design and deploy an Extended Range Cannon Artillery capability rapidly, the program to replace the Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions, and the upcoming Advanced Multi-Purpose 120 mm Abrams tank round. The Picatinny team s work expands our technological advantage across the multi-domain battlefield.threats to our national security are always there, so the research and development conducted here are vital, said Speer. The C device and R device are shown here. 3 In the same example, if a different ARCOM was awarded with a V or an R, only one of each device would be worn. According to Lummer, the V has the highest precedence, followed by the C and then the R. Lummer also stressed that a Soldier cannot receive multiple devices for the same service or achievement. If a Soldier is awarded an ARCOM for a valorous act against an armed enemy, they receive only the V device, even though the valor obviously occurred under combat conditions. COMMANDER S PROGRAM As with all decorations, the C and R are part of the commander s program, Lummer said, designed to maintain good order and discipline and support morale and esprit de corps. As such, a lot of discretion is given to a commander in interpreting the appropriateness of an award and distinguishing the type of award and device a commander sees fit to recommend, he said. In the past, awards such as the Army Commendation Medal did not in and of themselves outwardly denote extraordinary service related to combat, Lummer said. Soldiers were not appropriately recognized with the awards system as it was, so this change across DOD does just that, he said. He added that the Army was the first to publish guidance and authorization to wear the devices when the MILPER came out this month, but guidance will likely vary slightly between the joint staff and the other services. MANY QUESTIONS, INTEREST Lummer said publication of the MILPER message has generated a lot of questions about the new C and R devices. Chief among those questions is whether the devices are retroactive in nature. For instance, can they be worn by Soldiers who have earned medals in past conflicts, such as Vietnam or Korea? The answer, he said, is that the devices are retroactive only to Jan. 7, 2016, when the secretary of Defense authorized them, so any award approved prior to that day is not eligible for acorr device. Other questions, he said, mostly involve their wear and the criteria for awarding them.

4 4 The Picatinny Voice March 31, 2017 Harassment, bullying, hazing, stalking, discrimination, retaliation, and any type of misconduct that undermines dignity and respect including that done online on social media platforms will not be tolerated by the Army, said Maj. Gen. Jason Evans, director of Military Personnel Management, during a March 22 hearing on Capitol Hill. Army leader: Social media misconduct won t be tolerated Army News Service WASHINGTON -- Army policy states that hazing, bullying and other behaviors that undermine the dignity and respect of Soldiers and Army civilians are strictly prohibited. That policy doesn t apply just to the way Soldiers conduct themselves in the real world, said Maj. Gen. Jason Evans. It also applies to how they conduct themselves online, such as in s, online chats, instant messaging, blogs, social media sites and web or video conferencing. Evans, who serves as director of Military Personnel Management, was on Capitol Hill to discuss the Army s policies on social media with the House Armed Services Committee, subcommittee on military personnel. Harassment, bullying, hazing, stalking, discrimination, retaliation, and any type of misconduct that undermines dignity and respect will not be tolerated, Evans told lawmakers. And those found in violation will be held accountable. Back in 2015, then chief of staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno attended a Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention summit, where he learned that Soldiers were reporting sexual harassment via social media. Other Soldiers spoke about online retribution against Soldiers who had spoken up about sexual harassment and sexual assault. The next month, Odierno convened a team to address the issue and find a way to respond to and prevent such behavior online. Minuteman II Limousine and Car Service Transportation to all Major Airports JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Teterboro, White Plains, Morristown & more! NJMG Soldiers to receive lighter combat helmet Army News Service WASHINGTON -- The Army awarded a contract Tuesday for a helmet that weighs an average of 22 percent less than the one currently in use but provides just as much protection, according to officials. The Advanced Combat Helmet Generation II contract was awarded to Revision Military in Vermont to produce up to $98 million in helmets over the next five years. The contract was mentioned Wednesday at the Senate Armed Services Committee, subcommittee on airland, during a hearing about Army modernization. Brig. Gen. Robert L. Marion, deputy of acquisition and systems management for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, told senators the helmet and other lightweight body armor items now being developed are among the Army s most promising new technologies. The new helmet is made from ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, a lighter material than Kevlar, but reportedly just as strong. It can stop 9 mm handgun rounds, officials said, along with various shell fragments. Collaboration with industry, academia and government research laboratories enabled the weight reduction without compromising integrity, according to Program Executive Office The Advanced Combat Helmet Generation II looks almost identical to the ACH Soldiers have been wearing for 15 years, but it weighs 9 ounces to almost a pound less than the legacy helmet. The new helmet is made from ultra-highmolecular-weight polyethylene, a lighter material than Kevlar, but reportedly just as strong. Soldier at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The partnership between the Army and industry is critical, said Lt. Col. Kathy M. Brown, product manager for Soldier protective equipment. With a renewed focus on research and development, our goal is a revolutionary leap in technology for personal protective equipment in the future. The weight difference between thenewachgeniiandthe current helmet depends on the size, explained another PEO Soldier official. In the most common size of the helmet, a large, the ACH Gen II will weigh just under 2.5 pounds, about 12 ounces less than the current large ACH. The most weight reduction will be in the extra-large helmet, officials pointed out. That size will see a reduction of nearly a pound. The helmet weight reduction will help Soldiers reduce mission fatigue and enhance their situational awareness, according to PEO Soldier officials. They believe the lighter helmet will increase Soldier effectiveness and overall survivability. The new helmet will also be available to other military services through Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, just like the current ACH. The procurement of the ACH GEN II is the result of the Army s modernization program to meet one of the Army s top priorities -- lightening the Soldier s load, Brown said. LIGHTENING THE LOAD Heavy, bulky body armor has been a problem for many years, said Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson, the Army s deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7, who also testified at the hearing. We went into Iraq back in 2003 and all this stuff started getting added to us like a Christmas tree: side plates, groin plates, neck plates, Anderson said, adding that all the protective equipment weighed Soldiers down and caused them to move almost like robots. The new integrated head, neck and face protection that is now being developed is promising, though, Anderson said. Vehicles in our Fleet: 6, 8, 10 Passenger Stretches 14 Passenger Ford Excursion SUV 15 Passenger Van Party Bus All current vehicles will be upgraded to newer models Our Drivers & Our Vehicles are Registered to Service Picatinny Arsenal COMPUTERIZED DISPATCHING Account information kept on file, ed confirmations and/or receipts, previous reservations looked up and Online reservations Weddings Proms Nights on the Town Trips to NYC Theaters Sporting Events Long Distance Trips AND MORE Toll Free Fully Insured All Major Credit Cards Accepted The Picatinny sponsored R.O.B.B.E. Team 56 of Bound Brook High School won the Industrial Design Award at the MAR Bridgewater District FIRST Robotics Competition on March 19. The award celebrates form and function in an efficiently designed machine that effectively addressed the game challenge.

5 Army News Service FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Inspired by some of history s great female aviators like Amelia Earhart and World War II Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Cathy Jarrell, command chief warrant officer and brigade standardization officer for the 116th Military Intelligence Brigade, Fort Gordon, Georgia, always knew she wanted to fly. As a young girl, Jarrell lived near Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina and loved watching B-52 aircraft flying over her home. The daughter of a former Air Force civil engineer, she enjoyed being around the base and the planes and often told her dad that she would like to fly one day. My dad was always supportive of my desire to become a pilot, Jarrell recalled. He encouraged me and always told me I could be anything I wanted to be. Jarrell joined the U.S. Army in 1989 and was selected to attend the Warrant Officer Flight Training Program. She was appointed an Army warrant officer in May 1991 and is a graduate of the Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Flight school was the hardest school I ve attended. It was such a long period of time, and they were constantly watching you, Jarrell said. Flight school could last anywhere between nine months and one year depending on the aircraft you are assigned to fly. Upon graduation, Jarrell was assigned to pilot the UH-1H Huey helicopter. The Huey is a great aircraft, very forgiving and basic and it was a great workhorse in Vietnam, she said. Although Jarrell enjoyed flying the Huey, she wanted to try another airframe. So she volunteered for AH-64 Apache helicopter training and was selected. In the summer of 1993, Jarrell and two other female Army pilots made history when they graduated from flight school and were qualified to fly a combat airframe. Earlier that year, then Secretary of Defense Les Aspin lifted restrictions, allowing females to fly combat missions. Her first assignment on the Apache was with the 101st Airborne Division in The guys in the unit were like big brothers who will pick on you, but wouldn t let anyone else [do the same], Jarrell said of her male counterparts. Jarrell s desire to fly did not wane. She also got qualified on the AH-64D, C12U, C12J, C12J1, and RC-12N, RC-12K, RC-12X and later became an instructor pilot on several of those aircraft. I believe women have always had a lot of opportunities in the military and especially now that many of the military occupational series are open to them, she said. During her time flying combat aircraft, Jarrell flew in a number of combat situations while supporting NATOled Operation Joint Endeavor, NATO-led Stabilization Forces, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines, and Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan. All of my deployments have held an element of The Picatinny Voice March 31, Trailblazing Army aviator recalls her career, wouldn t change a thing excitement and mystery, Jarrell said. The Mad Max drive to Baghdad was among the most exhilarating. In her current position at the 116th MI Brigade, Jarrell oversees the brigade s warrant officers and ensures the standardization of the brigade s aviation operations. Her leadership considers her a pioneer for women in Army aviation. Cathy has had an outstanding career as an Army aviator and a leader, said Col. Daniel Mettling, commander, 116th MI Brigade. I am fortunate to have such a trailblazer on my team. Along with her incredible career, Jarrell considers her 27-year marriage to husband Van, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, and her daughter Megan, among her biggest accomplishments. She credits her success in the military to her husband. He has always been there, gives me guidance, been supportive of me and a great person to talk to, Jarrell said. He had to give a lot to allow me to stay in. Her daughter Megan is in her second year at the U.S. Military Academy following in her mom s footsteps. She hopes to become either an aviator or military intelligence officer when she graduates. Her goal is to carry on the Army tradition set by both her mom and dad. I am so proud of Megan, Jarrell said. I encourage her to be positive and always show enthusiasm for what she is doing -- no matter what the task. Jarrell believes she has succeeded in her career because of the support she received from leadership, fellow warrant officers and good noncommissioned officers. I tell Megan to find the best warrants and NCOs around and get under their wings, she said. They will keep you grounded and on track. Asked what the one thing she would change about her career so far, Jarrell said, In these 27 years I have been treated so well and been given so many opportunities to succeed. I honestly would not change one thing. Picatinny Arsenal Armament University Picatinny Arsenal Armament University Program Building Coordinator: Program Karene.Cary@stevens.edu Coordinator: Phone: Karene.Cary@stevens.edu (973) Phone: Building (973) NR The Summer semester starts on May 1, 2017 register now! Stevens Institute of Technology offers graduate courses, certificates and degrees: Mechanical Engineering Systems Engineering Electrical Engineering Quantitative Software Engineering Interested in learning more about evening graduate programs offered right here at Picatinny Arsenal? Graduate Program Director: Sven.Esche@stevens.edu Phone: (201) High-Impact Applied Graduate Education at Picatinny Arsenal

6 6 The Picatinny Voice March 31, 2017 Lighter ammunition the goal of green machining technology PM MAS secures ManTech and R&D funds to enable the industrial base to experiment with green machining to produce the next generation small-caliber round. Editor s Note: Project Manager Maneuver Ammuntion Systems is part of the Program Executive Office Ammunition. Both are located at Picatinny Arsenal. BY MARTA HESS, JEREMY LUCID AND JOSEPH PARAS Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems Until 2010, ammunition for small arms weapons has not kept up with evolving threats, and the performance of legacy ammunition has remained relatively stagnant since the early 1980s. Developed using Cold War-era technology, legacy ammunition has a number of deficiencies in providing warfighters with a definitive advantage against current and future threats. A large-scale effort to develop and field the next generation of small caliber ammunition and with it, the overmatch capability legacy ammunition does not provide is underway at Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM MAS), Product Manager Small Caliber Ammunition, located at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. This next generation of small caliber ammunition includes advanced technologies to improve lethality at greater distances, as well as alternate cartridge case materials to lighten a Soldier s standard combat ammunition load. PM MAS secured U.S. Army Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program funding to supplement existing research, development, engineering and testing (RDT&E) funds starting in FY15, to mature the manufacturing readiness level of improved material solutions. These additional resources have played an important role in reducing manufacturability and cost risks as products transition to full-rate production, providing the warfighter with improved capability at the quantity needed to conduct training and combat operations. Without this crucial resource to advance manufacturing readiness, it would have been too costly for the ammunition industry to field enhanced NR Paratroopers from 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, conduct a qualification range in December with a M240B machine gun during Exercise Castle Warfare at Foce Reno Training Area in Ravenna, Italy. Research efforts, led by PM MAS and ARDEC and supported in part by funding from ManTech, are looking at new manufacturing processes for producing lighter ammunition for the M240 that still meets the weapon s performance requirements. Photo by Elena Baladelli. capabilities in required quantities of small caliber ammunition. COMPONENT MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY The focus on improving small arms ammunition began in earnest around 2008, when the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCOE), representing the voice of the user, received mixed reviews in post-combat surveys regarding legacy 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition. ThistriggeredtheMCOEtogenerate small caliber family of ammunition capability development documents for 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm and.50-caliber ammunition. These documents established the Army s requirements for small caliber ammunition to reduce or eliminate existing operational capability gaps and ensure overmatch in future combat environments through the foreseeable future. These requirements formed the basis for multiple research and development (R&D) programs to improve lethality, survivability, mobility and training flexibility. As with many innovative products or systems, advancements can result in price increases. Over the last decade, improvements in small caliber ammunition have required modifying critical projectile components with state-ofthe-art designs and complex EASY TAXI LIMO ALL AIRPORTS SERVING NYC NJ AND PA. 24/7 SERVICE Point to Point Service Seaport Transfer & Train Station Medical Transportation CALL OR SEND AN TO BOOK YOUR TRIP office@easytaxilimo.com shapes, such as a modified projectile jacket with an exposed tip to achieve consistent softtarget effects, and advanced materials such as tungsten carbide to achieve enhanced hard-target terminal effects at greater distances. This in turn has required research in advanced manufacturing techniques including machining in a pre-formed state, called green machining, advanced grinding and multistage projectile assembly operations that the ammunition industry previously was not required to use. By leveraging $5 million of multiyear RDT&E funding from ManTech, PM MAS, in partnership with the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC), funded two major initiatives to assist the industrial base in developing and refining advanced manufacturing processes to provide higher-performance ammunition to the warfighter at an affordable cost. For example, PM MAS and ARDEC have been able to drive down the unit cost of tungsten carbide components by using ManTech resources. Because of the hardness of tungsten carbide, manufacturing it has historically involved lengthy grinding operations. Using these labor-intensive operations resulted in one part completed every 15 minutes, and the unit cost exceeded $20 per part, mainly because existing manufacturing methods for tungsten carbide material were not optimal for complex shapes and configurations. Using ManTech funding, the team engaged with several small businesses, via market surveys and competitive bids, to incentivize development and improvements in novel and advanced tungsten carbide manufacturing techniques. This funding allowed the small businesses to invest in developing alternative manufacturing processes that have the potential to be leveraged for other military applications as well as commercial ventures, all while reducing investment risk on their end. Ultimately, PM MAS and ARDEC selected a green machining process as the most viable approach to drive down component costs. The process is a powder metallurgy technique where chalk-like pre-forms of tungsten carbide powder are shaped before sintering, a heat treatment process that binds the powder particles together to produce a hard, dense material. Traditional tungsten carbide manufacturing involves sintering simple stock shapes, such as bars or rods, and then hard-grinding the final shape into the material. Green-machining decreases the product cost by increasing the efficiency of producing complex shapes and configurations. More than 30,000 components were produced from October 2015 through December 2016 using this method.these improvements reduced manufacturing time from one part every 15 minutes to two parts every minute. It reduced the projected unit price to less than 25 percent of the original cost resulting in a potential savings of more than $300 million over the expected 20-year life of the program. Following the initial success in developing a more efficient and cost-effective manufacturing process for complex tungsten carbide components, PM MAS and ARDEC again leveraged ManTech resources to implement improvements in 7.62 mm bullet assembly. Typically, small caliber bullets are assembled on a bullet assembly machine (BAM), where a copper cup is drawn into a bullet jacket that encapsulates the other bullet components (penetrator and slug) and ultimately a small caliber projectile is produced. LEGACY PROCESS LESS FLEXIBLE Because the design of small caliber ammunition has not changed since the early 1980s, legacy BAMs also have remained relatively unchanged, resulting in less than optimal operational availability, higher scrap rates and less flexibility in tooling changes for different ammunition types. By leveraging ManTech funding, the team developed a new tooling package that uses a higher-precision BAM to eliminate many of these inefficiencies. This 21st century BAM, with enhanced controls for precise assembly, is anticipated to maintain the existing rate of 60 parts per minute with higher operational availability, lower scrap rates, more process feedback to the operator and the ability to make faster tooling changes. More importantly, as the manufacturing equipment becomes available to the industrial base for full-rate production, the higher precision means better-quality ammunition delivered to the field, more quickly and at a lower cost. Continued on next page

7 LIGHTER AMMO continued from page 6 LIGHTWEIGHT CARTRIDGE CASES The next endeavor the program office is tackling with ManTech support involves developing manufacturing and loading processes for lightweight cartridge cases. PM MAS, with support from ARDEC, is exploring new manufacturing processes that include injection-molding polymer or metal using multicavity molds; over-molding; thermal bonding; metal laser edging; and rapid propellant loading of lightweight cases. All these processes are new to the Army s small caliber ammunition production base. Lighter-weight cases reduce combat loads, resulting in greater mobility for Soldiers in combat as well as reduced weight for vehicular and aerial platforms. Using nontraditional cartridge case materials is key to realizing weight savings in small caliber ammunition. PM MAS held an industry day on April 19, 2016, to inform industry partners of the desire to reduce the Soldier s load in small arms ammunition. The Army shared program requirements, industry opportunities and a planned schedule. The event also provided a forum for smaller non-defense businesses to meet with ammunition producers to discuss the challenges in meeting the Army s needs. During the next five years, the challenge will be designing and delivering the same quantities of current brass-cased 7.62 mm ammunition requirements in a lightweight case that meets the performance requirements of the M240 machine gun. The Army encouraged companies to explore polymer, steel or hybrid metal designs, with the goal of reducing overall weight by 10 to 50 percent over existing brass-cased cartridges while ensuring proper function in weapon systems; the new design also needed to be produced at typical small caliber ammunition production rates of 75 to 125 million cartridges per year and at a comparable price. Several innovative small businesses have developed lightweight case prototypes but have difficulty meeting the above criteria because of their limited manufacturing capability. Modified through a ManTech-funded R&D program, this new bullet assembly machine has a higher operational availability and lower scrap rates than predecessor equipment. Also, it provides more processer feedback while offering the ability for faster tooling changes. Improvements in precision means higher quality ammunition can be fielded faster and cheaper. Image courtesy of PM MAS. During the next five years, the challenge will be designing and delivering the same quantities of current brass-cased 7.62 mm ammunition requirements in a lightweight case that meets the performance requirements of the M240 machine gun. The team will use ManTech funding to improve the manufacturability of these innovative, lightweight cases while attempting to drive down manufacturing costs. CONCLUSION ManTech funding has enabled the development of a novel manufacturing capability at three companies with the ability to produce next-generation small caliber ammunition. As a result of the R&D effort, the program office has learned the importance of engaging with industry partners early in the RDT&E phase to develop and mature manufacturing processes concurrently with product development. Bringing industry s expertise in during product development allows program management to build more realistic schedules, reduce costs and field higher performance ammunition that will provide overmatch capability to our warfighters. The ManTech program is instrumental in developing and refining innovative manufacturing technologies that will transition to the industrial base in support of full-rate production a win-win scenario improving national security while preparing the industrial base for future needs. MARTA HESS is a PM MAS project officer for the Lightweight Small Caliber Ammunition program. She holds an M.S in mechanical engineering from Stevens Institute oftechnology and B.S. in mechanical engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology. JEREMY LUCID is a PM MAS project officer for multiple small caliber ammunition RDT&E initiatives. He holds an M.S. in mechanical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from The College of New Jersey. JOSEPH PARAS is ARDEC s project officer for ManTech stungsten Carbide Penetrator & Assembly Cost Reduction Program. He holds a B.S. in ceramics and materials engineering from Rutgers University. (This article is to appear in an upcoming issue of Army AL&T Magazine.) The Picatinny Voice March 31, Army is recruiting: end strength to increase by 28,000 Soldiers Army News Release WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of the Army will add 28,000 soldiers to its ranks by Sept. 30, 2017, officials announced March 20. The troop increase was directed by the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year The Army is hiring. The added end strength will allow the Army to increase manning in its tactical units, enhancing overall readiness, said Maj. Gen. Jason T. Evans, Director, Military Personnel Management. The increased manning also provides additional promotion opportunities and retention incentives for our existing Soldiers and more opportunities for those who are fit, resilient and possess character who want to join the Army. Across the force, the active component end-strength authorization increased by 16,000 to 476,000; the Army National Guard increased by 8,000 to 343,000, and the Army Reserve increased by 4,000 to 199,000. This 28,000 increase means the total Army will number 1,018,000 Soldiers. The Army will conduct a responsible increase with a focus on quality; Soldiers who are resilient, fit and have character. MASTER S ONLINE CERTIFICATES NJIT Online Graduate Programs NJIT s 13 online master s degrees and 19 online graduate certificates offer advanced training in emerging fields. Get an edge in your career today! Engineering Management MS IT Administration and Security MS Data Mining Certificate Information Security Certificate Project Management Certificate And more! Picatinny Senior Commander Brig. Gen. Alfred Abramson speaks during Picatinny Arsenal s Prayer Lunch on March 21. Photos by Todd Mozes. Guest speaker Kevin Holmes, a Department of the Army Civilian, discusses how faith influences his role as a Department of the Army employee. UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS NEWARK, NJ Visit njit.edu/gradstudies to learn more and apply.

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