Advantages

Advantages of UCC Ammo over Conventional Ammunition:

Detailed Advantages over Conventional Ammunition

• Weighs less than half that of conventional 5.56mm ammunition.

  More than twice the amount of “U.C.C. Caseless ammunition” can be transported versus the same weight of conventional ammunition.

• Occupies about 40% less volume than conventional ammunition.

  Many more rounds, with less weight, can be carried or stored in the same volume of space.

• Is less costly to manufacture than conventional ammunition.

  This is due to the lack of casings, smaller packaging and simplified tooling-setup and maintenance.

• Less expensive logistics.

  Due to the Caseless Cartridge’s reduced size, transportation costs can likely be reduced by more than 50% and storage and handling costs reduced by about 45%. In addition, because fewer rounds are required to hit targets, less ammunition may need to be transported to the field.

• More Stable and Safer Propellant.

  It is not possible to detonate the UCC propellant or the UCC electrical primer by impaction, static electricity, stray-current, fire, friction, shock or “EMP” (Electro Magnetic Pulses). The above characteristics were verified during major cartridge stability tests carried out at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. Conventional ammunition, if ignited by fire, will explode and possibly ignite other conventional ammunition nearby. Friction can also detonate a conventional round. However, when incinerated, the UCC propellant and electrical primer will not explode, but instead will burn, much like the head of a match burns. U.C.C. ammunition can ignite (185 C) but will not detonate by friction.

• No residue, Smokeless.

  Propellant, electrical primer and booster burn off fully, leaving no residue in either the chamber or barrel, giving it the highest muzzle-velocities possible. 20,000 rounds can be fired before cleaning is necessary. The propellant is solid and, through a special process, UCC ammunition burns completely from the inside outwards, resulting in the most complete burning characteristics attainable. This also results in lower peak pressures in the chamber.

• More reliable, consistent and powerful. No Muzzle Flash

  The “semi-conductor-like” electrical primer is ignited electronically, but will not detonate accidentally because the current that causes the detonation must be of a specific voltage and amperage. The electrical ignition system is particularly suitable for the development of weapons with Fingerprint or Voice Recognition technology. The primer ignites a booster, which is seated directly behind the bullet in every cartridge, which in turn initiates the projectile’s movement down the bore. The booster ignites the rest of the propellant, which burns completely from the inside outwards. Since the “UCC Weapons System’s’” propellant ignites and detonates in the chamber and not in the barrel, as is the case with conventional guns, weapons equipped with the “UCC System” do not produce a detectable flash and thus will not draw enemy counter-fire.

• No Cartridge Case.

  No personal or storage space is needed for spent casings. Because there are no casings to eject, the weapons system can be fired ambidextrously. There is no danger to nearby shooters or equipment; no problems with jamming; no ejection-port that allow dirt to enter weapon; and less consumption of expensive metals (more environmentally friendly). Military aircraft frequently are required to retain spent ammunition casings inside the aircraft decreasing the time in the air by reason of increased fuel consumption.

• Higher cook-off temperature.

  With the use of better and more sophisticated propellant technology combined with RDX and HMX, the cook-off temperature is increased to between 190ºC and 240ºC. This compares very favorably to the 135ºC cook-off temperature experienced with conventional ammunition. Much of the chamber temperatures developed in conventional fully-automatic weapons result from the friction created during ejection of the expanded (and expended) casings as well as from heat-transfer from the barrel to the chamber. Automatic weapons using “UCC’s” ammunition take much longer to reach the “cook-off temperature”.
  Verification tests were carried out at the STEYR plant in Austria. Even at extreme temperatures, conducted at both plus 120ºC (muzzle- velocity 1020m/sec) and minus 78ºC (muzzle-velocity 910m/sec with ice build up on propellant), the ammunition always fired.

• Greater Accuracy, Electrical Ignition no “lock-time“

  UCC Primer is ignited by an electrical current. There are no moving parts like a hammer and firing-pin to create “lock time”. Total stabilization during firing is the result of extreme accuracy. In test results shot groups from 100m, impacted hole in hole. Because of the electrical ignition, UCC ammunition detonates less than 1 milliseconds after the trigger is pulled, virtually eliminating muzzle climb. In addition, the lack of the ejection portion of the firing cycle and the resulting fewer moving parts gives “UCC’s Caseless Cartridge Weapons System” a much higher potential rate of fire. Three round bursts are possible before any muzzle-climb occurs. This alone is found to increase hit probability and result in the use of less ammunition to hit the target. Conversely, the time it takes for a hammer and a firing pin to ignite a conventional round makes the absence of muzzle climb during firing impossible.

• Excellent Performance with Higher Muzzle Velocities

  The very high muzzle velocities achieved allow for a flatter trajectory, increasing hit probability and accuracy with very high impact energy. Only possible through (progressive burning characteristics).At any practical combat range, target can be hit without any prior calculations and regardless of target movement. Changing the sight on the weapon for ranges up to 300 Meters is usually not necessary.

• UCC ammunition is not water-soluble;

  thus the ballistics performance characteristics will not change in wet conditions. Weapon oil will not affect the ballistics characteristics of UCC ammunition either, whereas if weapon oil penetrates a conventional cartridge, the round becomes useless.

• Versatility, Less and/or No Recoil.

  Compensating device based on tapping the gas at chamber level. Planes, helicopters and lightweight vehicles can now fire larger caliber ammunition with no impediment, making them more universal. Electrical primer and propellant is very versatile and is fully adaptable for rocket and missile propulsion systems.

Caseless Technology