1. BAE Systems to choose material for XL23E2 projectile by end of first quarter of 2011rn2. New rounds intended to replace obsolete Omani L23A1 and British L27A1.rnA decision is expected to be made by the end of the first quarter of 2011 regarding the choice of material for the penetrator of the XL23E2 1 20 mm Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) projectile, currently under development for the Royal Army of Oman and the British Army. The new projectile is required in the Omani case as a replacement for the obsolete first-generation L23A1 projectile which is the only APFSDS ammunition nature hitherto made available to the army's 38-strong fleet of Challenger 2 tanks, armed with the L30A1 high-pressure 120 mm rifled gun. In the British Army's case it has potential utility against the less capable of its prospective armoured opponents as a politically acceptable alternative to its third- generation L27A1 APFSDS projectile (embodying an environmentally suspect depleted uranium [DU] penetrator), which is used aboard its remaining Challenger 2 tanks.
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