All rounds fired from a 52-calibre barrel followed their predicted trajectories and landed within the target area, EDGE said. The company reported consistent grouping and tight dispersion.
“This first firing confirms that chamber pressures, projectile performance, and component integrity all met our expectations,” said Saif Al Dahbashi, president of EDGE’s Missiles & Weapons division. “It marks the point at which our design moves from the drawing board to demonstrated performance.”
The trial checked compatibility with weapons built to the Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding standard, agreement between predicted and measured pressures and impact points, and projectile structural integrity. EDGE said each objective was met by the Extended Range Full Bore ammunition, which incorporates a deep intrusion fuze well.
“Artillery ammunition has become the clearest test of whether a country can supply itself, and building this capability in the UAE means our customers are not waiting in someone else’s production queue,” Al Dahbashi said. The programme aims to give the UAE and EDGE’s customers assured access to ammunition designed, manufactured and sustained domestically.
Arena testing will next assess the projectile’s effectiveness, followed by qualification against Military Standard requirements and NATO Standardization Agreement 4224. Qualification remains the next major milestone towards demonstrating Safety and Suitability for Service.
