FN Herstal leads European initiative to standardise small arms ammunition

The project, inaugurated in December at FN Herstal’s headquarters in Belgium, brings together defence companies, research institutions, and Ministries of Defence from nine countries. Representatives from Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland convened to define the project’s governance and lay the groundwork for collaboration.

Key goals of the SAAT initiative include improving ammunition effectiveness against current and emerging threats, advancing technologies related to projectiles and propellants, and developing an optimised ammunition prototype. These advancements aim to ensure that Europe’s defence forces are prepared to face evolving security challenges.

Supported by a EUR 8.3 million budget, the SAAT project unites 18 partners from across Europe. Prominent industry players such as FN Herstal, Beretta, Nammo, and Fiocchi Munizioni are joined by leading research organisations, including Armasuisse (Switzerland), the Royal Military Academy of Belgium, and TNO (Netherlands). This diverse partnership highlights Europe’s commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation in defence technologies.

“This kick-off meeting marks the beginning of an ambitious journey to develop innovative ammunition solutions for Europe’s defence forces,” said Jonas Granberg, Project Officer Ammunition Technology at the European Defence Agency (EDA). He emphasised that SAAT will deliver forward-looking solutions by leveraging expertise from across the continent.