Crafted to enhance the combat capabilities of the 120mm main armaments found on NATO MBTs, SHARD promises to deliver unprecedented performance. According to KNDS, Nexter’s parent company, this new-generation armor-piercing, fin-stabilized, discarding sabot (APFSDS) ammunition represents a major leap in armored vehicle warfare, offering a 15% increase in penetration power over existing munitions.
A key innovation of SHARD is its design, which combines an optimized shape and a lighter aluminum sabot with an elongated penetrator made from a novel high-performance tungsten alloy. This design, developed in collaboration with Plansee Tungsten Alloys, ensures superior effectiveness against the most advanced MBT and armored threats on today’s and tomorrow’s battlefields.
Furthermore, SHARD boasts impressive technical advancements that reduce barrel wear by 25%, thereby extending the maintenance intervals and lowering the operational costs for military forces. With a remarkable muzzle velocity achieved with both the French Leclerc MBTs and the German Leopard 2 MBTs, SHARD sets new standards for speed and accuracy.
Highlighting its commitment to environmental responsibility, KNDS has ensured that SHARD’s propulsion system is REACH-compliant, maintaining high performance while adhering to stringent chemical safety standards.
Designed to be fully ITAR-free and compatible with all NATO smoothbore 120mm tanks, SHARD offers considerable operational, logistic, and economic benefits. This universal compatibility underscores NATO’s collaborative strength and strategic adaptability.
In late 2023, a demonstration in Alcochete, Portugal, showcased SHARD’s superior performance. The event, attended by users of the Leclerc and Leopard 2 tanks, confirmed the ammunition’s 15% performance enhancement through successful firing tests on advanced armor targets.