Saboted light armor penetrator
Encyclopedia
The Saboted Light Armor Penetrator (SLAP) family of ammunition
is designed to penetrate armor more efficiently than standard armor piercing ammunition.
sabot
, which allows for the use of a tungsten
penetrator
projectile of a lesser diameter than the original bore
. By using the casing of a large cartridge
with a lightweight projectile, the velocity of the projectile is greatly increased.
SLAP rounds have been designed for use against lightly armored vehicles and aircraft
.
.
and Olin Manufacturing
. The team began production of the ammunition in 1985. The sabot that contains the sub-caliber is manufactured by Cytec Industries.
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
is designed to penetrate armor more efficiently than standard armor piercing ammunition.
Design and use
The SLAP design incorporates a polymerPolymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
sabot
Sabot
A sabot is a device used in a firearm or cannon to fire a projectile, such as a bullet, that is smaller than the bore diameter, or which must be held in a precise position. The term is also applied to a battery stub case, a device used similarly to make a small electrical battery usable in a...
, which allows for the use of a tungsten
Tungsten
Tungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A hard, rare metal under standard conditions when uncombined, tungsten is found naturally on Earth only in chemical compounds. It was identified as a new element in 1781, and first isolated as...
penetrator
Kinetic energy penetrator
A kinetic energy penetrator is a type of ammunition which, like a bullet, does not contain explosives and uses kinetic energy to penetrate the target....
projectile of a lesser diameter than the original bore
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
. By using the casing of a large cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
with a lightweight projectile, the velocity of the projectile is greatly increased.
SLAP rounds have been designed for use against lightly armored vehicles and aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
.
Types of SLAP ammunition
The SLAP ammunition is produced in two calibers, 7.62x51mm NATO and .50 BMG.50 BMG
The .50 Browning Machine Gun or 12.7×99mm NATO is a cartridge developed for the Browning .50 caliber machine gun in the late 1910s. Entering service officially in 1921, the round is based on a greatly scaled-up .30-06 cartridge...
.
- The 7.62mm round is designated as the M948
- The .50 BMG round is designated as the M903(non-trace) and M962(trace)
Production and cost
The SLAP family of ammunition is produced by the Winchester Cartridge CompanyWinchester Repeating Arms Company
The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was a prominent American maker of repeating firearms, located in New Haven, Connecticut. The Winchester brand is today used under license by two subsidiaries of the Herstal Group, Fabrique Nationale of Belgium and the Browning Arms Company of Morgan, Utah.-...
and Olin Manufacturing
Olin Corp.
The Olin Corporation is a major manufacturer of ammunition and chlorine and sodium hydroxide . Based in Clayton, Missouri, it traces its history to two companies, both founded in 1892: Franklin W...
. The team began production of the ammunition in 1985. The sabot that contains the sub-caliber is manufactured by Cytec Industries.
In Popular Culture
- The Heavy Machine Gun AIE-486H from the game Halo 3Halo 3Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...
fires a 7.62mm SLAP round.