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Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) has been awarded a research program from the U.S. Army to provide an autonomous ammunition preparation system for integration into any U.S. howitzer.
PSI’s Howitzer Ammunition Retrieval and Preparation System (HARPS) automates the process through which shells and charges are prepared to be fired. In the current method of operation for reloading the howitzer, the shell-fuzing and charge-gathering processes combined account for about 60% of the total time required to fire a single round. By automating and accelerating these lengthy manual processes, HARPS provides a ready-to-fire fuzed shell and proper set of charges every five seconds, supporting a fire rate of 12 rpm.

This core technology could be applied to AA guns, rocket artillery, mortars, and naval artillery to decrease crew size and increase sustained rate of fire. PSI’s HARPS technology could also be applied to the construction and mining industries to house and prepare equipment, increasing efficiency, reducing human workload, and protecting equipment in harsh environments.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Sean Torrez
Group Leader, Deployable Technologies
storrez@psicorp.com
Physical Sciences Inc.
Telephone: (978) 689-0003