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Alliant Techsystems Operations Awarded 92 Million U.S. Army Contract for SLAM Landmines

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Alliant Techsystems Operations Awarded 92 Million U.S. Army Contract for SLAM Landmines

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Alliant Techsystems Operations Awarded 92 Million U.S. Army Contract for SLAM Landmines
Alliant Techsystems Operations Awarded 92 Million U.S. Army Contract for SLAM Landmines

Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC, Plymouth, Minnesota, was awarded a $92,966,361 firm-fixed-price contract for production and delivery of the M4A1 Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition (SLAM) and the M320A1 SLAM trainer kit. Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition or (M2/M3/M4 SLAM) is a small United States multi-purpose landmine produced by ATK Precision Fuze Company. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 29, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (CW15QKN-20-D-0012).

 SLAM can operate day and night during all weather conditions to defeat selected targets using an Explosively Formed Penetrator warhead.
SLAM can operate day and night during all weather conditions to defeat selected targets using an Explosively Formed Penetrator warhead. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Gertrud Zach)

Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition (SLAM) has a passive infrared sensor and a magnetic influence sensor which allows it to be used as a demolition munition, off-route mine or full-width belly attack mine. The SLAM is intended for use against APCs, parked aircraft, wheeled or tracked vehicles, stationary targets (such as electrical transformers), small fuel-storage tanks (less than 38,000 liters (10,000 US gal)), and ammunition storage facilities. The SLAM is compact and weighs only 1 kilogram, so it is easily man-portable.

511 Tactical
 It can operate day and night during all weather conditions to defeat selected targets using an Explosively Formed Penetrator warhead.
It can operate day and night during all weather conditions to defeat selected targets using an Explosively Formed Penetrator warhead. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Gertrud Zach)

When the mine is triggered, the Misznay-Schardin effect generates a copper explosively formed penetrator (EFP), which can penetrate 40 millimeters of armor at a range of eight meters. The SLAM has an anti-tamper feature that is only active in the bottom- and side-attack modes. The SLAM will detonate when an attempt is made to change the selector switch’s position after arming. The SLAM has four possible modes of detonation—bottom attack, side attack, timed demolition, and command detonation.

A Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition (SLAM) explodes on a target during the live fire portion of a SLAM class at the 7th Army Training Command's Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany
A Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition (SLAM) explodes on a target during the live fire portion of a SLAM class at the 7th Army Training Command’s Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Gertrud Zach)

The SLAM is produced in three versions:
M2 – Solid green, with no labels, which silently self-neutralizes at the end of its active period (either 4, 10 or 24 hours)
M3 – Can only be used in the command detonated mode.
M4 – Green with a black painted warhead face, which self-destructs at the end of its active period (either 4, 10 or 24 hours). The M4 is normally used by units designated as light, airborne, air assault, crisis response, and rapid deployment.

 SLAM is a multipurpose munition designed to be readily portable and hand-emplaced against lightly armored infantry vehicles, parked aircraft and petroleum storage sites.
SLAM is a multipurpose munition designed to be readily portable and hand-emplaced against lightly armored infantry vehicles, parked aircraft and petroleum storage sites. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Gertrud Zach)

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