Fuzes
Fuzes
The Coventry Arsenal is currently developing the first new family of fuzes to be designed and manufactured in the United Kingdom for 155mm artillery in over 35 years. This work forms part of a structured programme aligned with MOD assurance expectations and intended to support sovereign industrial capability. The three fuzes under development are:
TCA-F01 — Multi-Role Fuze (MRF)
TCA-F02 — Course Correcting Fuze
TCA-F03 - Range Extending Fuze
The TCA-F01 is designed to incorporate a proximity sensing function to initiate functioning when the projectile enters a defined engagement envelope. This enables controlled air-burst operation at a predetermined stand-off distance, improving effects distribution across personnel and lightly protected materiel while maintaining predictable functioning characteristics for safety case assessment.
The TCA-Fuze Family will be inductively programmable and intended for compatibility with 39- and 52-calibre artillery systems and compliant with NATO interoperability standards, including STANAG 4369 and AOP-22. The design accommodates high-rate loading environments, including flick-ramming, and utilises a steel-bodied architecture to maintain structural and functional integrity under high launch acceleration and elevated thermal exposure condition.
Post-launch arming is governed through sensing of translational acceleration and rotational dynamics consistent with recognised fuze safety and arming principles.
The design incorporates provisions to:
inhibit premature activation during early flight
reduce over-flight risk
maintain controlled transition from safe to armed state
support integration into Insensitive Munition compliant firing chains
Development and qualification planning starts in August 2026 and is being conducted with the intent of aligning with MOD Integrated Test Evaluation & Acceptance Planning (ITEAP) processes and supporting safety case substantiation under relevant regulatory frameworks.
