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Norwegian-Finnish aerospace and defence group Nammo has announced a contract to supply APEX ammunition for Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft.
The contract, announced earlier this year, is considered to be the first major agreement for the advanced 25mm x 137 APEX PGU-47/U ammunition type - according to the company.
Production is due to start in 2025, with deliveries scheduled over the following two years.
APEX ammunition is set to become an important part of Australia’s combat capabilities for the foreseeable future.
“This contract underscores Nammo’s commitment to innovation and excellence in defence technology. Our APEX ammunition is recognised as the most capable aircraft ammunition ever deployed, and its performance against a diverse range of targets sets it apart”, said Reijo Bragberg, Executive Vice President of Nammo’s Small and Medium Caliber business unit.
"The contract has been secured with Australia, a partner in the F-35A program, which has consistently demonstrated strong support for the APEX ammunition since its inception."
Nammo, in collaboration with Norwegian government partners, including the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (FMA) and the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), has invested substantial resources over nearly two decades in research, development, testing, and qualification to achieve flight release for the F-35A aircraft.
The 25mm x 137 APEX PGU-47/U ammunition, developed by Nammo, provides several benefits including multi-role capability by combining armor-piercing and explosive effects in a single round.
This multi-role feature is considered effective against a wide variety of ground and air targets including armored, semi-armoured and light targets.
The ammunition uses a tungsten carbide penetrator for armor piercing capability and explosive-filled warhead with delayed initiation, delivering blast, fragmentation, and incendiary effects inside the target.
The ammunition, which also acts as a tracer, is expected to achieve extended ranges and high accuracy with improved aerodynamic performance, maintaining speed for longer and increasing effective range.
The company also expects that the specific F-35A GAU-22/A cannon round will remain effective even in glancing hits, rather than requiring direct impacts.
In addition, rounds use a dual-safety fuze (FMU-171/U) with a safe arming distance from the aircraft and detonation delay in target.
