40x46mm Cartridge, Floating Flare – Green, Red, or Yellow

NAME – 40x46mm Cartridge, Floating Flare – Green, Red, or Yellow

NAME (COMMON) – Floating Target (Flare) Marker

CALIBER – 40x46mmSR

TYPE – Low velocity pyrotechnic nighttime flare signal with floatation device

YEAR OF INTRODUCTION – 1970

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN – USA

IDENTIFYING COLOR CODE – Green cartridge case with black ink markings, Light green projectile body with black ink markings, Ogive color to match color of flare

CASE TYPE – XM195 (Modified M118) Semi-rimmed straight walled

CARTRIDGE LENGTH – 13.28 cm (5.23 in)

CASING LENGTH – 3.0 cm (1.18 in)

CASE HEAD DIAMETER – 41.097 mm (1.618 in)

CASE RIM DIAMETER – 43.54 mm (1.714 in)

PROJECTILE TYPE – Round-nosed aluminum-bodied two-piece projectile with yellow, red, or green flare composition and 15.2 cm (6 in) diameter ballute

PROJECTILE DIAMETER – 41.15 mm (1.620 in) at rotating band

PROJECTILE WEIGHT – Red, Green – 0.225 kg (7.94 oz), Yellow – 0.216 kg (7.62 oz)

FILLER – Colored flare and gas producing composition

FILLER WEIGHT – Red, Green – 0.072 kg (2.54 oz), Yellow – 0.063 kg (2.22 oz)

FUZE TYPE – Pyrotechnic delay fuze ignited on firing

FUZE DELAY – Ignition 5.5 seconds after firing

CASING WEIGHT – 0.050 kg (1.76 oz)

TOTAL ROUND WEIGHT – Red, Green – 0.275 kg (9.74 oz), Yellow – 0.266 kg (9.38 oz)

MUZZLE VELOCITY – 76 m/s (250 fps)

NOMINAL BARREL LENGTH – 35.6 cm (14 in)

MAXIMUM RANGE – 280 m (306 yards) at 32 to 35⁰ – equal to a range setting of 375 m on M79 rear sight

EFFECT – Flare element burns for 80 to 100 seconds creating a Yellow, Red, or Green (depending on filler) signal at point of impact

MANUFACTURER – Chemtronics, Swannanoa, North Carolina

STATUS – Evaluation

SERVICE – None

     The red and yellow flares were the most observable of the series with their color being recognizable at ranges out to (5 miles) from aircraft at an altitude of (500 to 2,000 feet). The green flare was reported to be visible, but the color only recognized at a range of (2 miles).