U.S. Army approves Orbital ATK's M1061 60mm mortar cartridge

U.S. Joint Munitions Command approval signals Army's testing of the warhead is complete.

By Geoff Ziezulewicz 

Orbital ATK's M1061 60mm mortar cartridge has received full materiel release approval by the U.S. Army's Joint Munitions Command, the company said Thursday. Soldiers are shown here hanging a mortar round in Afghanistan in 2013. U.S. Army photo

 

Orbital ATK's M1061 60mm mortar cartridge has received full materiel release approval by the U.S. Army's Joint Munitions Command, the company said Thursday.

Full materiel release means the Army has tested and evaluated the warhead and found it to be safe, suitable for operations and logistically supportable, the company said in a statement.

During the initial development phases, ATK pumped out more than 12,000 of the cartridges for the Army.

The M1061 increases safety of users, the company said.

Its fragmentation technology produced increased wide-area effects compared to conventional warheads.

The M1061 is a 60mm high-explosive cartridge developed by Orbital, Saab Bofors Dynamics Switzerland and the Army's Armament Research, Development and engineering Center.

The program's goal aimed to increased 60mm mortar effectiveness while improving its insensitive munitions aspects.