Bullet Impact Testing of Ammunition and Explosives at Picatinny Arsenal

A bullet impact (BI) test for evaluating the response of energetically loaded items has been established at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center (AC) Explosive Development Facility.

Army Combat Capabilities Command, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ

Bullet impact (BI) is a standard test used to assess ordnance during insensitive munitions (IM) testing, for hazard classification, and for safety evaluations. IM evaluation and scoring features a series of tests designed to quantify the response of a munition to a variety of thermal and impact threats that are possible throughout its lifecycle, such as a fuel fire and impact from fragments and shaped charge jets. The BI test is designed to simulate a small arms attack.

This test is described in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standards Allied Ordnance Publication (AOP)-39, “Policy for Introduction and Assessment of Insensitive Munitions (IM),” and AOP-4241, “Bullet Impact Munition Test Procedures,” and the United Nations “Recommendations on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods, Manual of Tests and Criteria.” It is required for all munitions developed and used by the U.S. military, as well as by NATO allies. The standard BI test (method 1) uses 12.7-mm (.50 caliber) armor piercing (AP) M2 cartridges with an impact velocity of 850±20 m/s. Three shots are fired at a rate of 600±50 rounds per minute at a 5 cm circular target area.