Otobreda 76 Mm - Ammunition

Ammunition

In order to develop the maximum potential from those guns, OTO has developed and is continuing to develop a complete family of ammunition:

• HE standard (all models): weight 6.296 kg (750gr HE), range 18.4 km at 45°, effective 8 km (4 km vs. air targets at 85°)
• MOM: developed by OTO (Multirole OTO Munition), but this model was dropped after the comparison with the PFF made by BPD.
• PFF: anti-missile projectile, with proximity fuse and 0.5 grams tungsten cubes
• SAPOM: 6.35 kg (0.46 kg HE), range 16 km (SAPOMER: 20 km)
• DART: 4 kg (0.4 kg HE), effective range 5 km+
• Vulcano: 5 kg, maximum range around 40 km (it is a smaller version of the 127mm Vulcano)

There were evolutions in the fire control systems as well. The early versions (Compatto) usually used radars such the RTN-10X Orion (made by Selenia); from the early 1980s there was a more powerful and flexible system, the RTN-30X (used with the Dardo-E CIWS system and known within Italian Navy as SPG-73), that was capable to manage both guns (40,76 and 127mm calibres) and missiles (Sea Sparrow-Aspide). With the Italian navy's this system came in service with the cruiser Garibaldi (C551: the RTN-30X entered in service first with Maestrale class frigate, but the Dardo 40mm turret were slaved to the smaller and older RTN-20X radars), but still with the twin 40mm Dardo's turrets; while the first ship equipped with Dardo E and 76mm Super Rapido was the upgraded 'Audace class destroyers', later followed by 'De la Penne' class. The 76/62 has also been used with countless other fire control systems, when not being used in Italian service.