SBIR-STTR Award

To address the Army’s need for small caliber tracer ammunition that is dim and visible only by the shooter and friendly forces, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop the novel Rearward Emitting Tracer Ammunition (RETA), based on an innovative design that integrates mature materials and fabrication processes with POC-developed and COTS components. This innovation enables RETA to be visible to the user during the day and not to saturate night-vision goggles/devices. Because it does not leave a visible combustion trail, RETA is only perceptible to the shooter and friendly forces near the shooter while maintaining imperceptibility to foes. Its mass remains unchanged throughout the entire trajectory path; therefore, its lethality and range are not affected. The inert nature of the material in RETA allows it to have a long shelf life with reliable performance. In Phase I, POC will identify the fabrication process and produce prototypes for demonstration. Producibility and optical emission efficacy will be characterized and compared with similar tracer products. In Phase II, POC will optimize the fabrication process and fabricate complete live RETA rounds to demonstrate their capability in a military weapon and to test their capability of integrating and operating within Army operational architecture.

Keywords:
Dim, Imperceptible, Shooter Perceptible/Visible Tracer Ammunition, Multicolor Tracer

To address the Army’s need for small-caliber tracer ammunitions that is dim and visible only to the shooter and friendly forces, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to advance the development of the novel Rearward Emitting Tracer Ammunition (RETA) proven feasible in Phase I. RETA’s innovative design integrates mature materials and fabrication processes with POC-developed and COTS components. In Phase I, POC designed, fabricated, and tested RETA prototypes that produced visible light and near-infrared without causing “bloom” effect to night-vision goggles/devices. The demonstrated prototypes eject no combusting material and are only perceptible to the shooter and friendly forces near the shooter while maintaining imperceptibility to foes. The prototypes’ mass remained unchanged throughout the combustion process, unaffecting their lethality and range. The inert nature of the material in RETA allows it to have a long shelf life with reliable performance. These results led to a preliminary producibility analysis that strengthens the manufacturability of RETA. In Phase II, POC will optimize the fabrication process and fabricate complete live RETA rounds to demonstrate their capability in military weapons of 5.56mm, 7.62mm, and .50 cal. and to test their capability of integrating and operating within Army operational architecture.

Keywords:
Dim, Imperceptible, Shooter Perceptible/Visible Tracer Ammunition, Multicolor Tracer