Exclusive: Inside the factory building the British Army's new revolutionary CT40 cannon
The British Army is set to enhance its military capabilities with the addition of 589 Ajax armoured vehicles by the end of the decade.
At the core of this vehicle is the innovative 40-millimetre case-telescoped (CT) cannon.
Forces News reporter Simon Newton was given an exclusive look inside the French factory where this advanced weaponry is being produced.
What makes the gun so special?
The CT cannon, integrated into the new Ajax vehicles, promises a significant tactical advantage.
The mechanism that feeds ammunition into the cannon doesn't move regardless of the elevation of the barrel.
The manufacturer says that means it is more stable, is better at firing on the move and is far more reliable than a conventional weapon.
The manufacturing takes place at Bourges, where hundreds of these cannons are produced. Notably, the French military also employs the CT40 in its Jaguar reconnaissance vehicles.
Meanwhile, the compact design of the cannon saves space and has a minimal recoil of just 50mm (two inches).
Small but mighty
Colin Stephenson, a lead engineer who has been working on the CT40 project for 25 years, explains the unique ammunition used by the cannon.
Mr Stephenson, a veteran of Royal Ordnance Nottingham, said users that have seen the CT40 fire from a Warrior "really cannot believe the firepower that you can get from such a small volume".
The CT40 employs telescoped ammunition, where the projectile is encased within the propellant powder, significantly reducing its size.
This compact ammunition is easier for the crew to handle and allows for a larger payload, while being four times more powerful than the 30mm rounds used on the Warrior vehicle.
The cannon's unique 40mm telescoped ammunition is unlike traditional rounds, where the projectile sits on top of the cartridge case.
The projectile in the CT40 sits inside it, encased in the propellant powder.
It means the ammunition is dramatically reduced, or telescoped down, in size to something that looks like a relatively small tube.
Can shoot drones while in motion
The CT40's linkless carousel magazine can be tailored to fit any turret and loaded with various types of ammunition. This versatility enables the crew to select the appropriate rounds for different threats quickly.
In combat scenarios, the CT40's multi-target capability is crucial. The crew can engage enemy vehicles with armour-piercing rounds, switch to point-detonating rounds for enemies in buildings and use the air defence mode to target helicopters or drones by elevating the barrel up to 85°.
The war in Ukraine has shown that having a weapon that can quickly switch to air defence mode by elevating its turret to face the sky is extremely useful in tackling the threat of drones.
The unique features of the CT40 weapon do lend themselves to evolving as a battlefield evolves. So high elevation was originally intended to be used in urban conflicts.
A menu of ammunition
The variety of ammunition for the CT40 cannon is extensive. The crew simply slide open a drawer and insert the type of round they need, selecting from a menu of different options.
The training ammunition, identified by its blue colour, includes a reduced-range variant to accommodate all training areas.
The high-explosive rounds, marked in yellow, come in two forms: one with a mechanical impact fuse and another with a time-programmable fuse for airburst capabilities, ideal for targeting entrenched troops.
There are also two kinetic energy munitions: a steel slug for penetrating hard targets like bunkers, and a tungsten dart, which is smaller than the barrel diameter for armoured targets.
According to Ian Wells, project manager for cannon production, the feedback from soldiers and the wider defence industry has been overwhelmingly positive.
"As soon as this is out and deployed on Nato exercises, everyone's going to want it. It is something of a game-changer," he said.
Enhanced firepower
The CT40 can fire up to 200 rounds a minute compared to 90 for the Rarden autocannon fitted to the Warrior.
The gun's armour-piercing rounds can penetrate 14cm of armour and at up to 1,500 metres.
Armoured steel doesn't stand a chance even on targets 3km away.
Game-changer
The CT40 cannon is produced by CTA International, a joint venture between British defence manufacturer BAE Systems and French company Nexter.
Ammunition production occurs in both the UK and France, ensuring each nation controls its supply chain.
While in France, the CT40 is continuing to be developed, tested and refined, in the UK, all six variants of the Ajax are now starting to roll off the production line, ready to enter service this year.
The UK has ordered more than 500 units of the CT40 cannon.
It is the MOD's first newly qualified cannon and ammunition system since the 1960s, a leap in technology and firepower that promises to make the British Army more lethal against more types of target than ever before.
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