Description
Munitions, including the XM736, filled with lethal chemical agents were required by the military for a retaliatory chemical capability. The XM736 consisted of a steel body that contained a dual canister payload, an expulsive charge assembly, an aluminum ogive, and a steel projectile base. Each canister contained a nonlethal, liquid chemical intermediate: one with ethyl-2-diisopropylaminoethyl-methylphosphonite (QL) (canister XM27), and one with polymethylsulfide (NM) (canister XM28). When the NM reacted with QL, the two formed the agent VX. The canisters were designed with a burst disk at one end so that upon projectile firing, the adjacent ends were ruptured by setback forces. The two chemicals combined, and the chemical mixing was enhanced by in-flight spin on the way to the target.
The XM27 canister contained 14.8 pounds of QL and the XM28 contained 2.8 pounds of NM.
Functioning
No information about functioning.
See Also
Nothing else to see.
Source(s)
Old Chemical Weapons and Related Materiel Reference Guide (2018)
