The French defence industry has released new footage of a test with 120mm SHARD ammunition. What is being tested is not a new gun, but a new generation of tank ammunition intended to increase the firepower and effectiveness of existing and future tanks. The trial shows how important ammunition development has become in modern land warfare.
The footage shows a 120mm tank gun being fired from a test rig. The large cloud of dust after impact shows that the ammunition has considerable power. The difference, however, lies not in the gun itself but in what is being fired.
What is SHARD ammunition?
SHARD is a new generation of 120mm tank ammunition developed by KNDS to increase the effectiveness of existing gun systems. The focus is on greater penetration, better performance against modern armour and more efficient use of energy when firing.
Modern tanks are increasingly well protected, including by composite armour and active protection systems that can intercept incoming projectiles. Ammunition therefore has to become smarter and more powerful to break through those defences.
SHARD responds to this with improved materials and possibly an optimised penetrator, making the projectile better able to hit heavily armoured targets.
More effect without a new gun
An important advantage of this development is that existing tanks, such as the French Leclerc, do not need to be completely modified. By introducing new ammunition, firepower can increase considerably without replacing the entire weapon system.
That makes upgrades like this relatively quick and cost-effective. Instead of years-long development programmes for new guns, ammunition development can respond faster to new threats.
Depending on the technology used, improved ammunition can also reduce barrel wear. That lowers maintenance costs and increases vehicle availability.
Interoperability within NATO
Another important aspect of SHARD is interoperability: the ammunition must be compatible with standard NATO 120mm guns. That allows different countries to use the same ammunition, which makes logistics and cooperation easier.
At a time when European countries are working more closely together on defence, that is an important advantage. It makes joint operations more efficient and increases the flexibility of units.
Part of a wider modernisation
The development of new tank ammunition fits a broader trend in which European countries are modernising their land forces. The war in Ukraine has made clear once again how important heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery are in large-scale conflicts.
This is not only about new vehicles, but also about improvements in ammunition, sensors and digital systems. A tank’s effectiveness is, after all, largely determined by the combination of all these factors.
KNDS plays a central role in this as a Franco-German defence group and is working on several projects aimed at the future of land warfare in Europe.
Important for tomorrow’s battlefield
The SHARD test shows that innovation is not always visible in new platforms, but often in the details. Better ammunition can suddenly make an existing system much more effective against modern threats.
Although not all specifications are known yet, this development makes clear that the focus is increasingly on smart upgrades that can be deployed quickly. That keeps the tank, despite all the technological changes, a relevant and powerful weapon on the modern battlefield.
