5×44mm ARES

The 5×44mm ARES was an experimental military cartridge developed by Olin for use in the ARES-Olin AIWS of the ACR program.

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Developed during Phase I of the ACR program, the 5×44mm cartridge is of a telescoped configuration, meaning that the projectile is embedded within the casing, surrounded by the propellant. There were prototype rounds of various formats;

All-aluminum
All-plastic
A composite of brass and plastic

The internal structure of the cartridge featured a three-part plastic sabot, which sheathed the projectile, holding it in place. It is later succeeded by the 5×54mm ARES round, also of a telescoped configuration. The ammunition is low impulse to reduce recoil and the tracer aspect is part of the "Closed Loop Fire Control System" concept. The idea of the concept was that in close range, high stress combat situations the shooter rarely used their scope to aim unless in a position safe to ambush from or out of range of enemy fire as well as that due to camouflage enemy forces are hard to see beyond a certain distance and only expose themselves for a short while. This results in the shooter firing in the general direction of movement in a spray and pray tactic as shouldering and aiming through the sights would take time and leave the shooter exposed to enemy fire. With the tracer rounds for the AIWS, the shooter could, in theory, increase hit probability by firing more quickly from the hip, using the tracers as a visual cue indicating where their rounds are going and adjust their aim to lead their gunfire to the target and "close the loop". The burning chemicals used in tracer rounds could also cause fires under the right conditions, giving the rounds the potential be be used as incendiary rounds under certain circumstances.

5×44mm ARES

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