The 40CTC (40 mm Cased Telescoped Cannon) is a 40 mm autocannon and the central component of the Franco-British 40CTAS (40 mm Cased Telescoped Armament System) developed by CTA International. It is designed to fire 40mm telescoped ammunition.[2] This format provides significant benefit within vehicles in the space envelope required for the gun and the ammunition storage.[3] However, the selection of the unfielded, thus unproven, new design for major French and British programmes was controversial.[4][5]
| 40CTC | |
|---|---|
 40CTC of a British Ajax armoured fighting vehicle | |
| Type | Cased telescoped autocannon |
| Place of origin |  France United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2022–present |
| Used by | British Army French Armed Forces |
| Production history | |
| Designer | CTA International |
| Designed | 1997 onwards |
| Manufacturer | CTA International |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 340 kg |
| Length | 3,428 mm (11 ft 3.0 in) |
| Barrel length | 2,800 mm (110 in) |
| Cartridge | 40×255 mm |
| Caliber | 40 mm |
| Action | Recoil-operated, rotating breech |
| Rate of fire | 200 rpm |
| Effective firing range | 2,500 m (8,200 ft) (4,000 m (13,000 ft) for RapidFire) |
| Maximum firing range | 8,500 m[1] |
| Feed system | Automatic Ammunition Handling System (AHS) |
The 40CTAS has been ordered by the French Army for use on its future EBRC Jaguar armoured reconnaissance vehicle. The latter entered service in February 2022. It has also been mandated for the UK Ajax (formerly FRES SV) and (cancelled) Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) programmes.
In February 2010, CTA International signed a £11m contract with the French and British defence ministries to qualify the 40CT; this included environmental testing and the firing of 15,000 rounds.[6] The company has confirmed that the ammunition for the British weapons will be assembled by BAE Systems at the ROF Glascoed facility.[7]
Design edit
The 40CTAS consists of the following modules:
- The 40 CT autocannon
- The AHS (Ammunition Handling System), a linkless carousel-type feeding system that can be adapted to any turret configuration in terms of shape and capacity.
- The GCE (Gun Control Equipment), an advanced pointing and stabilization system that ensures high site and bearing performance when firing on the move.
- The Gun Mount, the mechanical interface between the gun and the turret; it is adaptable to integration needs.
- The CTAS-C (CTAS-Controller) is the control and command box for the weapon and power supply system. Depending on requirements, it can also integrate fire control, including the "coincidence firing" function to maximize precision performance.
Variants edit
edit
The Naval RapidFire is a naval platform based on the 40CTC. Intended as close-in defense capability for surface vessels against air and land threats, it can fire the A3B round.[8] The RapidFire was selected for integration on the 4 Bâtiment ravitailleur de forces (BRF) of the French Navy as well as the upcoming class of 10 Patrouilleurs Hauturiers (PH) offshore patrol vessels. The first system was installed on the lead ship of the BRF, FS Jacques Chevallier, in February 2023.[9]
Nexter/Thales Land RapidFire edit
It is the land-based variant of the RapidFire and is meant for integration on military vehicles.[8]
Ammunition edit
The 40CTAS's proprietary 40mm telescoped ammunition is manufactured for various applications, including anti-infantry and anti-materiel. The variants differ in weight, effective range, and payload depending on the intended target.
| Type | Projectile weight (g) | Muzzle velocity (m/s) | Penetration | Effective range (m) | Targets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APFSDS-T Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot - Tracer |
550[1] | 1,500[1] | 140 mm RHA at 1,500 m[1] | 2,500[1] | Medium armoured vehicles[1] | |
| GPR-T General Purpose Round - Tracer |
980 | 1,000 | 210 mm concrete or 15mm RHA at 1,000 m | <8,500 | Infantry, light armoured vehicles, defensive fortifications | Available as point detonating (GPE-PD-T) or airburst munition (GPE-AB-T) |
| A3B-T Anti Aerial Airburst - Tracer |
1,400 | 900 | - | 4,000 | Unmanned aerial vehicles, light aircraft, helicopters | |
| TP-T Target Practice - Tracer |
980 | 1,000 | - | 8,500 | - | |
| TPRR-T Target Practice Reduced Range - Tracer |
730 | 1,000 | - | 6,500 | - | Reduced range variant of TP-T |
Users edit
Belgium:
France:
- French Army: EBRC Jaguar
- French Navy: Bâtiment ravitailleur de forces and Patrouilleurs Hauturiers
United Kingdom:
- British Army: Ajax and Warrior
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f "40 CTAS Brochure A5 Sept 2018.pdf"
- ^ "NEXTER Group - CTA International achieves Anglo-French qualification for the 40mm Cased Telescoped Cannon and Ammunition". Archived from the original on 28 May 2019.
- ^ "CTWS" - Deagel
- ^ "The 40mm Cased Telescoped Armament System (CTAS)". 8 December 2015.
- ^ "New 40mm cannon system handed over to British Army".
- ^ "WCSP: Britain’s Warriors to Undergo Mid-Life Upgrade" - Defense Industry Daily
- ^ "DefenceNews France, U.K. To Qualify New Cannon". Archived from the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
- ^ a b "RapidFire". Thales Group. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (1 March 2023). "Le nouveau canon RAPIDFire Naval embarque sur un premier bâtiment de la Marine nationale". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2023.